This Chasm Isn't Fixed Yet
by Dream'sRealm
Summary: Darkstorm is finally permanently reunited with her brother, Skybreak, but the peace doesn't last long. Her leader is lost to them, her team is in disarray, and a new human is thrown into this eon-old war. . . Will the chasm between the Autobots and Decepticons be mended? Or will this war never end? Sequel to Across This New Divide. Cowritten with blondie-moyashi. Bumblebee/OC
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

**Disclaimer: Transformers: Prime, its canon characters, and the basic Orion Pax plot belongs to Hasbro. Darkstorm and Skybreak belong to Dream'sRealm, and Skye Shelsher belongs to blondie-moyashi**

"When Optimus surrendered the Matrix, he lost more than the collective wisdom of the Primes. He lost himself." Ratchet turned to his fellow Autobots, his voice grim.

"That doesn't follow. Optimus knew Megatron." Arcee separated her crossed arms and widened her stance.

"Yeah, they were like BFFs," Miko added.

"But that was before he became a Prime.

Darkstorm mentally shuttered. How could Optimus have ever befriended such a tyrant?

"If Optimus did not know his own name, perhaps it is because the title of Prime has not yet been granted to him."

"Say again?" Miko asked, hands on her hips.

Ratchet turned to her, as well as the rest of the humans. "With the Matrix no longer within him, it stands to reason that Optimus has reverted . . . to his pre-Prime state. The historical archivist, Orion Pax."

Agent Fowler stepped forward. "Are you telling me Prime thinks he's some kind of librarian? And a Decepticon?!"

* * *

Skybreak transformed, landing as gracefully as his heavy frame would allow with a soft clank, into his robot form. He still felt uneasy about the whole situation, but since the moment he left the Autobot base, he had no choice but to continue. He vented and walked through the doors to the interior of the Nemesis.

He felt a certain feeling of calm, like he was coming home after another mission. There was some anxiety too, though, and loathing.

Skybreak offlined his optics. All for you, Sister.

He onlined them and continued walking.

"And the first to address him as Optimus Prime will have his voice box torn out." Skybreak heard the announcement to the entire ship as he approached a console with two Vehicons, busily working away.

Planning his next move, he slipped into another nearby hallway before the Vehicons could see him. He had to get to the bridge immediately, but he wasn't sure if Megatron had pegged him as a traitor, as he had Starscream. So he had two choices: sneak around and hope he wasn't spotted, or just walk casually down he halls-certainly less conspicuous than sneaking around but still risky if there were orders to shoot him on sight. Either way had the potential of Skybreak being shot at. He vented. May as well try to play nice.

He stepped out from around the corner, walking towards the two Vehicons, waiting for them to draw their weapons on him. He was pleasantly surprised, though, when they simply ignored him and allowed him to walk right past. He smirked. Better head to the bridge, then.

Skybreak thought of something as he walked through the halls of the Nemesis. He remembered when Megatron tore out the Autobot scout's voice box out of anger when his interrogation failed. At the time it seemed like just another day in the pit-spawned war, and it left everyone's processors almost immediately.

His sister told him about how that injury impeded his ability to communicate with the humans, and how he mentioned missing the sound of his own voice, even if his current voice box sufficed.

It made him wonder. . .how much pain had Megatron, the Decepticons, and Skybreak inflicted upon others that . . . left them in mourning?

He shook his helm and smiled slightly. You're rubbing off on me, 'Storm, he thought.

Skybreak continued walking, hoping that he had the strength to get through this.

* * *

"Being a Decepticon is a choice, Agent Fowler. One that I have a hard time believing Optimus would make at any point in his life."

"Not always, Ratchet." Everyone looked to Darkstorm. "In my case the choice was made for me. But I do agree that Optimus would never join Megatron's cause in his right mind. . . It's a matter of the spark. And his spark is not that of a Decepticon." Everyone silently nodded in agreement, but Ratchet still looked grim.

"Still, we must locate him to know for certain."

"Hold up." Fowler stepped forward, putting his hands on the rail in front of him. "I got a chip lodged in my behind that lets Uncle Sam know when I stop for donuts. Are you telling me you can't just track Prime?"

Ratchet indicated the screen next to him, displaying the Autobot's life signals. "Optimus's signal has not reappeared since he embarked to the Earth's core. But we must get to work finding him if we have any hope of initiating his contingency plan."

"There's a contingency plan?" Arcee voiced everyone's confusion as they looked at each other and shrugged.

"The keycard. So what's it do?" Jack looked at the key in his hand.

"It grants access to Vector Sigma. The repository of the wisdom of the Primes," Ratchet answered.

"Repository? So, we can just download Optimus's memories back into him? Great. Which one's the big V? Over here? Somewhere in back?"

Darkstorm looked at the teen. "Vector Sigma is no computer, Jack. It is a rumored source of mystical power . . . on Cybertron."

"Jackson Darby, you will not be traveling to another planet." June pointed to her son as she spoke.

Miko walked up to the two. "Well, I'm in."

"You're not going either, Miko. Not when one of you can." June looked at the Autobots pointedly.

"June's right. Why send a kid to do a Bot's job?" Bulkhead asked.

Ratchet looked at the keycard. "Because only a Prime can access Vector Sigma. Or one chosen by a Prime. Optimus gave the keycard to Jack. It is now imprinted with his unique bio-signature."

"So you mean Jack's like some kind of honorary Prime?" Miko asked.

"Let's just say . . . Jack is the only one who can return Optimus to the Autobot we knew."

"But why would Optimus willfully endanger a human? A child?" June indicated Jack as she finished.

Jack recoiled. "I'm not a child, Mom."

Arcee shifted her stance. "Maybe Optimus believes there's more to Jack than meets the eye."

Darkstorm looked to Jack. "Indeed," she said with a slight smile.

"All of which is moot. The keycard is useless to us without a means of reaching Cybertron. Which we at present do not possess." Ratchet bowed his helm as he spoke.

"Dude, what about that?" Miko ran to the far end of the walkway and indicated the ground bridge with her hand. "Can't you supercharge it to turn our ground bridge into a space bridge?"

* * *

"Now please, Orion, there will be plenty of time for catching up. You must rest," Megatron said.

"Megatron . . . I will do my part to stop Ratchet's unspeakable crimes of aggression. This I vow, with all my spark."

"As do I, my liege."

All the 'Cons on the bridge turned to face Skybreak as he walked onto the bridge, his stride confident. He stopped in front of his master, his helm bowed and servo over his spark.

"I sincerely apologize for my absence, Lord Megatron."

Megatron turned to Optimus, who Skybreak saw standing in front of a console on the far wall, examining a large display of Cybertron as it currently looked. "Orion, Soundwave will show you to your quarters." Optimus and Soundwave both nodded and complied.

Orion? What's going on here? Skybreak thought confusedly.

Megatron turned back to Skybreak. "You made a very strong case for your shift in allegiances when we last met, Skybreak. Something about my being a 'monster'?"

Skybreak briefly offlined his optics. "I apologize for anything I said when I was with them, my lord. They were suspicious of me. I had to make them believe I would not betray them."

Megatron tilted his helm to the side. "As you are doing now." Skybreak shrugged with a slight smile. "So why were you among our mortal enemies, my most loyal follower?" Skybreak knew the title was meant to jab at the contradiction of one of Megatron's most trusted soldiers and officers willingly spending time among the Autobots.

"I was not lying about one thing, Lord Megatron. After my sister was . . . wounded," Skybreak fought to keep anger out of his voice. He hated apologizing to the mech who almost offlined his sister, who probably held no scruples of doing it again. But he had no choice. "I wished to keep track of her condition, though I knew the Autobots didn't trust me. So I pretended to abandon the Decepticon cause in order to aide in her recovery. Now that she is 'in the clear', I had no reason to stay. And with the Autobots in disarray at the loss of their leader, I figured it was the perfect time to slip away."

Megatron seemed to dwell on this, trying to figure out whether or not he believed Skybreak's story. "And you are not angry. . . that I was the very mech who wounded her?" he asked with a scrutinizing gaze.

"She stood in your way and needed to be punished. I understand why you had to take that course of action. My only wish was to make sure she was functioning before I came back to you, my master. You know how long I have faithfully served you. I would never betray you in order to join those Autobots," Skybreak faked a snarl at the mention of their enemies. "My loyalties lie with you, Lord Megatron."

Megatron dwelt upon this more before smirking. "Well then, welcome back to the Decepticons, Skybreak." Thank Primus.

Skybreak once again bowed his helm. "Thank you, my liege."

"Now, why don't you return to your quarters as well? I imagine the past few days have been quite . . . taxing for you."

"Yes . . . Lord Megatron." Skybreak turned and exited the bridge.

* * *

Darkstorm busily worked away at the console, trying different scanning frequencies to find the Nemesis. She ignored the pain as much as she could. There was no time for weakness now. She had to be strong, for her team and Optimus's sake.

"Darkstorm, are you okay?"

Her optics widened as her mind was pulled away from her work. She looked up at Raf. "Of course." She knew her smile wouldn't fool anyone, but she didn't want the others worrying about her. They were all worried about Optimus, and she didn't want to distract them from working, injuries or no.

Raf was standing in front of the railing, his hands resting on the lower bar. "You miss Skybreak." Darkstorm's smile softened at the observation.

"Yes. I'd looked forward to spending more time with him, maybe even convince him to fully commit to the Autobot cause. His absence . . . does not bring back pleasant memories. Or feelings."

"He'll come back, 'Storm." For a phrase obviously meant to make her feel better, Raf's voice held a great deal of confidence. Darkstorm looked up from the console, and saw the same confidence written in Raf's face. She smiled and nodded.

The sound of something powering up behind Darkstorm took their attention. Ratchet was in the maintenance area of the ground bridge, but the tools he had sprawled on the bridge were not for a simple tune-up.

Raf adjusted his glasses. "Ratchet, are you . . . supercharging the ground bridge?"

Ratchet looked up from his work. "Tinkering. No need to get anyone's hopes up yet."

Darkstorm and Raf looked at each other, both smiling. But there is still hope to be had, Ratchet. We'll get Optimus back. She offlined her optics. And Skybreak.

* * *

Skybreak lay on his berth, unable to recharge. His thoughts kept scrambling around like a hungry scraplet, running back and forth between his next plan of action and his sister's well-being. He still hated that he had to leave her side, but this was to help her.

He heard the quiet shifting of heel struts on the metal floor outside his quarters. Placing him under guard made sense, even if it only reminded Skybreak of his place among the Decepticons. He wasn't Megatron's most trusted servant anymore, but an unknown returning from the clutches of the Autobots. He had to change that point of view if he wanted to get anywhere. Or just finish his task quickly.

He sat up, deciding to get an energon ration from the rec room. The doors slid open as he approached them. The guards on either side of the door tensed as Skybreak walked through. He put a servo up as he walked between them and down the hall.

"Relax, boys," he said, humor in his voice. "I'm not planning on initiating a mutiny today." He heard the clanking as the two Vehicons followed him down the hall.

He decided to take the scenic route, a longer path that would take him past the bridge and med bay. It had heavy traffic for the warship, and was always a good way to go to hear news on what the mad doctor was up to or upcoming missions. Who knew, maybe he could find a way to shake his guards long enough to-

He stopped as several Vehicons exited the bridge, Megatron's conversation with Soundwave escaping through the open door.

"I only hope that Orion will complete Project Iacon before I am forced to destroy him. Once and for all."

The door closed, but rather than continue onward Skybreak remained where he was. So, he has "Orion" working on decoding that database we acquired when we stormed Iacon. Wait . . . Iacon, Orion . . . Skybreak facepalmed. Of course! Orion Pax was an archivist at Iacon before the war broke out! How could I have forgotten? It explains why Optimus is complying with Megatron . . . But the fact that Optimus legitimately thought he was a Decepticon put a bit of a kink in Skybreak's plan.

A big kink.

* * *

"Ratchet! You awake? This is an emergency!"

Ratchet looked up from his work. "Agent Fowler, is it Optimus?"

"It's 'Cons. And they're busting into the same military research lab they hit two months ago."

_"Didn't that base have a power source the 'Cons wanted?"_ Bumblebee asked.

"For all we know Optimus is riding with them." Arcee looked from Bumblebee to Ratchet.

The temporary leader of the Autobots nodded. "Roll out."

Darkstorm took a step towards Bumblebee before he transformed. "Bee . . ." She couldn't think of the right words to express how desperately she wanted, needed him to return. "Please stay safe." She lost her leader, she lost her brother, she just couldn't lose her scout.

Bumblebee saw her expression and closed the distance between them in two quick strides to wrap her in an embrace. _"Of course. I'll be back before you know it."_ He released her, placing his servos on each side of her helm and looking her in the optic. He waited for her small forced smile and nod before nodding himself and turning to join the others.

The Autobots arrived at the base to find Knock Out and Breakdown taking on the human military, the latter of which seemed to be losing. Breakdown was carrying the piece of military equipment they'd been sent to acquire.

"Drop it!" Bulkhead charged his weapons as he spoke.

"Aren't you missing someone?" Knock Out planted his energy rod in the earth, his confidence obvious by his stance.

Several Vehicons attacked the 'Bots in aerial form. They fired back, Bulkhead taking out one of them before they flew overhead. The 'Bots turned and shot down two more.

"Ready for that bridge!" Knock Out's tone was impatient. When the bridge opened behind him, he looked at the 'Bots with a mocking smirk. "We'll be sure to tell the big O you said hello." With that, he turned and followed Breakdown through the bridge.

Arcee quickly transformed and made a beeline for the bridge, expertly dodging fire from the Vehicons before disappearing into the green portal.

* * *

Skye Shelsher raced through the dirt roads, trying to reach the end of the road faster than she had last time. The past three times she tried had been after storms, so the mud and puddles hindered her time, but this time she just knew she would do it.

Her Jeep went over a rock that always let her catch air, and she laughed as her mental countdown started. 5 . . . 4 . . . 3-

Suddenly a green vortex appeared ahead and Skye slammed the breaks, careful not to swerve too much as to stay on the road. The Wrangler screeched in protest, but did as it was told and came to a stop fifteen or twenty feet from . . . whatever that thing was.

A blue motorcycle emerged from it at high speed. Luckily the vortex was on the road, but from the angle of the bike, the driver couldn't stay on the road for long-dirt trails like this were narrow and didn't allow for much correction.

Skye jumped out of the Jeep and ran to the edge of the road. She winced as the bike hit a large tree and spun through the air. She scanned the ground.

"Where's the driver?" she asked herself, her English accent only partially smoothing out the raspy tone in her voice from all the kicked up dirt.

Unable to find the driver, her mind thought back to when the bike appeared, and realized that she hadn't seen a driver then either.

Skye turned her head at a strange sound, and saw the vortex . . . portal . . . thing disappear. She looked towards where the bike had fallen, but there were too many trees to see anything from this distance. She slid down the embankment on her right leg, quickly getting to a large flat area where she could either see under all the branches or through them.

A yell rang out through the forest, originating from up ahead, if the terrified birds were any indication. Skye ran towards it, even as it led to a drop-off. She stopped short of running over the edge, and couldn't believe what she saw below her.

A large blue robot knelt on the forest floor. A giant robot! Skye's heart raced and she was paralyzed by . . . excitement? Fear? She didn't even know, or care. All she could do was watch as it examined its leg, which was dripping some sort of blue liquid.

It made a sound very close to a sigh and stood, the top of its head about ten feet below her. It put a finger to the side of its head, where its ear would be.

"Ratchet, I need a-"

Skye had gone closer to the edge than she thought. Some of the dirt under her feet gave away, sending her rolling down the embankment. She yelled as she felt sticks and rocks hit and slash her face for several seconds before landing on something flat, hard.

She groaned as she put a hand over where her face had landed, then her eyes shot open at the texture of what she was laying on. Smooth. Metallic. She scrambled to sit up, her eyes confirming what she felt. She looked up at the face of the robot, which was now holding her in the palm of its hand.

It sighed-in what sounded like frustration-and rolled its eyes. "You've got to be fragging kidding me." She-Skye presumed by the voice-seemed to listen to something for a couple seconds. "I don't know. I was on the 'Con warship but it looks like Soundwave bridged me off. But the main problem is sitting in the palm of my servo . . . Yes Ratchet, another human." Her tone seemed to get more frustrated as the apparent conversation continued. "Ratchet, of everyone, you're the one who should be objecting to bringing another one to the base. Especially at a time like this!" One more long pause before she looked at Skye. "You have two choices, kid. You can either come with me right now or swear off having ever seen me."

Skye shakily stood. "I . . . I want to go with you."

She raised her finger to her head again. "Okay Ratchet, you have two incoming." She lowered her arm to her side and her voice dropped to a mumble. "Better get back to base before this day gets any worse."

Another green vortex like Skye had seen a moment ago appeared several yards away and the robot started walking towards it. Skye had trouble staying upright as it walked, leaning every which way before sitting down.

They entered the portal, and suddenly they were walking down a tunnel. What was that thing, a wormhole of some sort? Whatever it was, it made Skye's bones feel like they were trying to run off without her.

They reached the end of the tunnel in a few strides, and it opened up into a large area with . . . with . . .

A red and white robot was standing in front of them, several screens in front of it. It turned to face Skye and the one carrying her, looking at Skye with an expression that was mostly dead-panned with a touch of . . . disdain? Disgust? Whatever it was, it was clear the robot didn't like humans.

It turned, walking towards an area with two large table-looking surfaces. The one carrying Skye walked to a platform behind the screen, placing her hand on the ground at an angle that made it easy for Skye to walk off.

She pointed at the ground where Skye stood. "Stay." She turned and followed the other robot.

Skye dropped to her hands and knees, her legs shaking horribly. She looked around, and smiled brightly when she saw three robots in addition to the one that caught her and the one she just saw as they walked up. This was incredible!

"You okay?"

Skye turned her head to see three kids about her age standing to her left. Closest to her was a girl of Japanese descent, with pink and black, oddly-styled hair and an . . . interesting wardrobe. Behind her was a taller guy, sporting jeans and a gray T-shirt over long sleeves. And next to him was a short kid with glasses, jeans and a button-up shirt and orange vest.

"Eehhmm yeah, I-I think so. Just a bit dizzy."

"Yeah, it can be like that the first few times." The girl smiled, bending to offer Skye a hand up. She accepted, even as her legs still wobbled.

"'First few times'?"

"Using the ground bridge," she said with enthusiasm as she indicated the tunnel Skye just came through.

". . . Ground bridge?"

The taller boy walked forward, putting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Let's slow down. I'm Jack, this is Miko, and that's Raf." Raf moved forward as Jack spoke.

Skye nodded to them. "Skye Shelsher. It's a pleasure. So . . . you get to . . ." she indicated to the group of robots, her grin broad as she spoke, "live here with them?"

Jack half-smiled and shrugged. "Basically. It can get hectic at times, but it's worth it." He nodded to where all the robots were standing. "These are the Autobots. The black and purple one with the wings is Darkstorm, next to her is Bumblebee. Ratchet, the red and white one, is in the med bay fixing up Arcee, who you apparently already met. And-"

Jack was interrupted by the sound of something being smashed. Everyone turned to look, and saw a big green bot pulling his fist away from a mangled tool on a tall surface.

Ratchet turned away from Arcee. "Bulkhead!"

"What, you 'needed that'?! Only thing I need is our head-honcho back!"

"And that's Bulkhead," Jack said plainly. "Sorry, it's not always like this, usually things are less . . . stressful. I'm sure the 'Bots will be happy to meet you . . . once things calm down."

One of the screens emitted a sound that seemed like an alert of something, then displayed a video call from a man in a button-up shirt, tie and jacket.

"Ratchet, what happened out there? Reports indicate at least a dozen wounded. The heat's on me to provide some explanation! You 'Bots better get your act together or the Pentagon's gonna make me shut down your base."

"But where would you go?" Raf stepped forward.

"Who knows? Maybe they'll ship us out to some island. Or fire us into space-wouldn't that be a welcome relief." Ratchet turned away from the group as he spoke, using his arms to show just how frustrated he was.

"I don't blame Fowler. Optimus would've evacuated all humans from the area before engaging the 'Cons," Arcee sighed.

Skye leaned sideways toward Jack, watching the exchange. "Who's Optimus?"

Jack scratched his head. "Eh, it's kinda a long story."

"Give me the CliffNotes."

Jack sighed. "Okay, these guys are from the planet Cybertron. They're the Autobots; the bad guys are the Decepticons. The Decepticons currently have the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime, and I need to get to Cybertron somehow to give him his memories so we can get him back." Jack managed the whole explanation on one breath.

"Ooookay yeah, you'll have to fill me in later." Skye and Jack turned their full attention back to the Bots.

"You're pretty good at stating the obvious, Bulk." Arcee stood and walked toward Bulkhead. "Anything else you'd like to mention that we already know?"

"Nothing I can say in front of the children-" Bulkhead and Arcee leaned towards each other, as if rearing for a fight.

"Hey, aren't we overlooking one positive? No one's talking about what the 'Cons just got their claws on." Jack put his arms out as he spoke, drawing everyone's attention from the spat between Bulkhead and Arcee, including theirs.

Ratchet turned his back to the group, arms in the air again. "Yes, we managed to allow them to acquire more equipment to build their space bridge!"

Arcee looked at Jack with her hand on her hip, bent slightly forward. "And how exactly would that be a 'positive'?"

"We let them build their space bridge." Jack's response evoked expressions across the room of either confusion or disagreement.

"Why? So they can bring back more zombies from Cybertron?" Arcee countered.

Skye's eyes widened. Zombies? Space bridges? Other planets? Wh-what is going on here?!

"No, so we can commandeer it. And use it to send me to Cybertron."

"Whoa . . . that's a pretty good idea." Skye turned around to face Miko as the girl spoke, having forgotten she was there with all the . . . excitement.

"Oh, well if Miko thinks it's a good idea . . ." Arcee sounded annoyed, her tone suggesting that Miko didn't always have the best ideas.

Jack put his hands on the rail. "Nobody's saying it's gonna be easy, but you've seized a space bridge before."

"We blew one up. That's a whole lot different than three of us seizing and holding one," Bulkhead argued.

Darkstorm looked at Bulkhead, determination in her optics. "Four."

In response, Ratchet turned to Darkstorm. "Upupup! You are not ready for flight, let alone combat!"

Bumblebee made a beeping sound that seemed like some form of communication, but Skye couldn't understand him. _"But in order to take the groundbridge, we'd need to know its location."_

"Bee's right, we'd have to find the thing first," Bulkhead said.

"Uh hello! If it's a space bridge isn't it-?" Miko pointed up.

"The term 'space' refers to its transport range, not it's physical location! And we've been monitoring Earth's orbit since the last one, we'd know if it were there!" Ratchet walked to the several screens, using the oversized keyboard to bring up what looked like a scan of Earth from space. He indicated the display with his hand to make his point.

"So the bridge could be somewhere right here on Earth." As he spoke, Jack pointed down.

Bulkhead nodded slightly. "Makes sense, since it looks like the 'Cons' main operations are on Earth now. But that would be like trying to find a servo in a scrapyard."

Darkstorm spoke up. "I'm sure we've done more difficult things since coming to Earth. If you rescued us from an alternate dimension-"

"Or finally got 'Storm and 'Bee to 'fess up to each other!" Miko interrupted with a smirk.

Darkstorm looked embarrassed as she finished. "-then I believe we can do this."

Everyone went silent, their faces showing that they were thinking hard about something.

Ratchet broke the silence. "But the fact remains, we do not know what the Decepticons have in store for Optimus. Or if he's truly safe from-"

The computers beeped again. "Autobot outpost Omega-1."

* * *

Skybreak sat on his berth, tapping his digits on his leg. He didn't know how long he could stay on this frequency unnoticed, or how long before his guards found him again. "Omega-1, please resp-"

"Skybreak?"

He vented in slight relief at the response. "Don't sound so surprised, Ratchet. You didn't think I ran away, did you?"

"We didn't care where you were. We've been dealing with trying to find Optimus!" the medic replied roughly.

"Well, I seem to be doing a better job of that than you at the moment."

"What do you-?"

Ratchet was interrupted by Darkstorm. "Brother?"

Skybreak smiled. "I'm here, Sister."

"Is . . ." He could all but hear his sister's timid expression during the pause. ". . . Is our plan working?"

"Yes it is, 'Storm. Megatron bought my story-I'm in."

**A/N: Hey, moyashi here. Hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter- I kept nitpicking little things before making myself send it in XD Sorry there weren't a lot of 'Bee x 'Storm moments, but I didn't want to force anything. Thank you so much for encouraging Dream'sRealm to continue her lovely story, and leading her to a sequel :D**

**Theme song: "Warning Signs" - The Anix**

**A/N: And thank you blondie for writing this legit chappie XD Anyway, there you have it. The first chapter of what should be a very successful sequel to my story Across This New Divide. And if you think my first story with 'Storm was legit... ya ain't seen nothing yet.**

**"For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of love, of power, and of sound judgment." 2 Timothy 1:7**

**I can't help myself but I just want y'all to know... that I went to a Bible study yesterday and several more people accepted the Lord! XD *has a mini party* Hallelujah!**

**Well, I hope y'all enjoyed this chappie :D And don't be afraid to PM either me or blondie for suggestions and, of course, make sure you leave a review. Reviews make our day :3**

**God bless all of you and I hope to see y'all next week with an update. **

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Disclaimer: Transformers Prime, its canon characters, and the basic plot of Orion Pax Part Two belong to Hasbro and the Hub. Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Miner X92874, Miner V6824, and Vehicon 0-7645. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher. **

Skybreak quickly had to terminate the transmission due to his guards reappearing. Thankfully however, the Seeker knew how to act inconspicuous.

"Hey, you two," Skybreak said nonchalantly. "Looks like we got lost in the crowd." He smirked. "Care to escort me back to my quarters?"

The Vehicons moved forward but were interrupted as they received a comm link from one of their comrades. Skybreak couldn't make out much but he thought he heard that Starscream was on the Nemesis. He internally chuckled. Screamer never did have much tact when it came to reconnaissance.

"Stay with Skybreak," the other Vehicon ordered as he ran to help deal with the problem.

Skybreak stared after him before turning to the remaining Vehicon: Vehicon 0-7645. "You gonna let me miss out on all the fun?"

"Later. But first, I think we better talk," Vehicon 0-7645 said.

Skybreak raised an optic ridge but nodded his helm to show his consent. "If it's about me stealing some high grade, I didn't do it," he joked.

Vehicon 0-7645 lowered his voice to prevent suspicion. "Look, to make a long story short, my friend is a miner and he was rescued by your sister Darkstorm. Twice, in fact."

Skybreak subtly brightened at the mention of his sister. Rescuing a miner. . . that was so something she would do. "You both. . . know my sister?"

Vehicon 0-7645 tensed, remembering the bridge incident. "Just him," he lied. "But, that's not all I came to tell you. You know as well as I that Vehicons and miners are treated like scrap around here. . ."

Skybreak silently agreed. It was sad, really. To think that he never gave the workers a second thought and if some of them offlined during one of his missions, he couldn't care less. But now. . . well, he guessed that he had a change of spark. "And? Your point being?"

"I know you're here to free Optimus Prime and, when the time comes for you two to escape, me and two others would like to return to the Autobot base with you."

* * *

Ratchet continued to labor over the ground bridge. His attempts at increasing its transport range had only just begun to bear fruit. Darkstorm and the humans watched as Ratchet gave the word for Rafael to start their test. The white and red medic activated the ground bridge and Raf piloted a remote control car into the portal.

At first, the mission seemed to be a success. . . until the car blew up, that is. The ground bridge calculations were unstable which lead to the immediate destruction of the toy.

Raf looked at Ratchet sympathetically. "I-It's okay, Ratchet. It was only our first try."

"Perhaps, our efforts truly are futile," Ratchet vented before frustratedly brushing aside a few of his tools.

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component as she beheld the scene, her optics wrought with sorrow. Oh, how quickly things could fall apart, she thought sadly. If only Optimus were here. . .

Oh, human Primus. The One who sired Jesus. Please, help my team.

She vented and stealthily walked towards the exit, hoping to escape Ratchet's attention. Not only did she need the flight to uplift her dampened spirits, she needed it to preserve her sanity. A flight deprived Seeker was truly a dangerous thing indeed.

"DARKSTORM!"

Darkstorm nearly jumped out of her armor and let out a tiny scream of surprise, though she winced slightly at the pain the action caused her. She turned around to see Ratchet, his optics narrowed.

"Darkstorm, how many times do I have to tell you to stay here?! I may be old but my optics are perfectly functioning. Now sit down before you hurt yourself. I have enough things on my processor to worry about."

Darkstorm vented and her wings lowered. Blast my injuries. Blast them to the Pit. She forcefully smiled when her youngling looked at her with concern, assuring him that she was alright, before sitting down on her medical berth. She paused however, seeing a new human among the others. The femme had short light hair with a stripe of gray across the bottom. She watched Darkstorm through wide blue eyes with her arms crossed over her midsection, picking at one of the green sleeves folded above her elbow.

"Hello there. I do not believe we have properly met," Darkstorm smiled, a genuine one this time. "My designation is Darkstorm. And yours?"

"Skye. Skye Shelsher," the femme answered.

"A pleasure to meet you, Skye." Darkstorm giggled slightly. "Your designation resembles my brother's nickname. . . . So, you are the one who Arcee spotted after she crashed in the woods?"

Skye smiled somewhat shyly. "It's more like I'm the one who spotted her as I actually watched her crash in the woods." Her smile dropped. "I heard about your brother. I'm sorry . . . "

"Thank you, Skye, but there's no need to worry. He'll return. I know he will."

Skye nodded slowly before looking at Darkstorm's wings. "So, you can go out flying whenever you like?"

Darkstorm turned to look at the team's medic. "Well, not at the moment." She turned back to Skye. "But under normal circumstances, yes."

Skye smiled broadly. "That is so cool! Closest I get to flying is off-roading."

Darkstorm looked a bit confused at the term "off-roading" before realizing what she meant. "That is similar to Bulkhead and Miko's dune bashing, yes?" She glowed a bit out of pride. "And I thank you for the compliment. I am thankful that I was created as a Seeker. I can't imagine a life without flying. . . "

Skye shrugged. "I think it's basically the same thing. And you're welcome." She smiled. "You are so lucky. I love flying, but can't do it very often. This is the first time I've left Keene Valley in two years."

"And. . . do you have any family in this Keene Valley?" Darkstorm asked curiously.

"Yeah, I was born in England, but after . . . something happened . . . we decided to move to the United States. We had family, mountains, and a good hospital in Keene Valley so it was an obvious choice." Skye paused. "I don't suppose we're still in New York . . . are we?"

Darkstorm looked at the femme a bit sadly but decided not to press. She too had things in her past that she did not wish to reveal. "No. We are in an old military missile silo in Jasper, Nevada. A long way from New York, I'm afraid." She paused before adding, "And your parents? Do you wish to contact them to assure them that you are alright?"

Skye smiled, seemingly relieved about something. " 'I'm afraid'? This is great! I was going nuts over there! The only thing I could do for fun was time trials on the off-roads, and even then my doctor about had a cow . . ." She sighed. "Though . . . I probably should tell my parents where I am." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small device. She looked from it to Darkstorm. "Um, no bars?"

"Oh, of course," Darkstorm turned to Ratchet. "Ratchet, do you suppose that Skye would be allowed to call her parents? To assure them that she is unharmed?"

Ratchet waved nonchalantly. "Fine. Just make it quick."

Darkstorm activated the base's computer and led Skye to a small keypad. "Just type in the number and it should do the rest."

Skye smiled and shook her head. "This is just too cool." She typed a nine digit number into the keypad and looked expectantly at Darkstorm.

Darkstorm smiled down at the femme and gestured to the computer as a soft ringing ran through the base's main room. Another femme soon answered.

"Hello?" The femme sounded stressed.

"Mum?"

"Skye? Thank heavens. Where have you been?!"

Skye scratched her head. "Eehhh . . . there was an accident in the woods. A dirt bike rider. I took her to the hospital and the docs there wanted to keep me for a-oh my Jeep! Can you pick it up and take it home?"

"Skye, wait. Why didn't you call me sooner? You've been out for hours!"

She nervously laughed. "Oh, has it been hours? How the time flies . . ."

"You need to come home."

Skye shook her head and put her hands on the rail in front of her. "I'm fine, Mum. Really, the doc checked me out and said I'm fine. I just wanted to call and let you know I'm alright." She took a deep breath. "I'll be home, but it may be a while. I'll talk to you later." She looked at Darkstorm and nodded, signaling that she was done.

Darkstorm promptly ended the transmission. "Your poor mother. . . she sounded worried sick."

Skye sighed. "She worries about me all the time now. I can't go to the next door neighbors' without an emergency plan. Makes me glad I have my Jeep to get away." She smiled at Darkstorm. "She should be fine now that she knows I'm alright though. Thank you."

"Of course. It's the least we could do," Darkstorm smiled softly before venting. "Let us hope however that the Decepticons have not affiliated you with us as of yet."

"I take it bad things happen to those who have been?"

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component. "I don't know if Raf or the others have informed you yet but we are at war with the Decepticons and because of that, they are willing to use anything and anyone they can against us. That is why each of us are appointed as a guardian over one of the humans. . . to make sure that they are unharmed." She looked at Skye sadly. "I apologize for this, Skye. It was never our intention to harm others all because of this pit-spawned war, but humans have become involved nonetheless."

"Jack mentioned something about the Decepticons. But wait," she suddenly smiled brightly. "You mean . . . now that I know about you all, one of you will become my guardian?"

"Well, I suppose since we brought her back to our base, why not appoint her a guardian?" Ratchet grumbled.

Darkstorm shot Ratchet a warning look before turning back to Skye. "In theory, yes."

Skye shot her arms into the air in a triumphant pose and laughed. "Haha, yes! After two years of tinkering with little gadgets, I finally get to see some real action!" She looked back at Darkstorm with an overly excited look. "This is about the coolest thing that's ever happened to me!"

"You may think differently after some time with us," Darkstorm half smiled.

"So who's gonna be her guardian?" Miko spoke up. "I'm already with Bulk. Raf has 'Bee and Jack has Arcee. . . and it's not like Ratchet would willingly volunteer."

Skye looked from Miko back to Darkstorm, still holding her excited expression. "Could I . . . What about you, Darkstorm?"

"I have never been officially appointed as a guardian to any human before, though I do like to think of Raf as my charge," Darkstorm smiled fondly at the youngling before silently making up her mind. "I suppose that leaves me. I can be Skye's guardian."

"And how do you expect to protect her?" Ratchet questioned. "Have you forgotten that you are still recovering from your injuries?"

"As you've reminded me several times, Ratchet, but there will be a time when I will be well again. If I was able to survive living amongst the Decepticons and much more, as you are aware, then I can quickly recover from the injuries I have now," Darkstorm looked at the medic with fire in her red optics. "I will be Skye's guardian."

Jack looked at the Seeker. "But you usually stay at the base anyway, right?"

"Usually," Darkstorm vented, "But with Optimus gone, we will need all the resources we can get. I may not be overly fond of the idea but I have fought before."

Miko shrugged. "And having a medic on the field couldn't hurt either. Even though the 'Cons will need a medic more than us after Bulk kicks their tailpipes!" The girl made punching gestures as she spoke.

_"And even if Darkstorm does get herself into trouble, I can always help," _Bumblebee said, inwardly happy for her. Having a charge certainly did change his life. And, judging from Darkstorm's fondness for humans, he knew it would change hers.

Darkstorm smiled at her scout, her cooling fans subtly activating. "And I am feeling better already," Darkstorm added. "I should fully recover before the next stellar cycle."

Skye looked at the group and shrugged. "Either way sounds great to me. I don't care if I'm confined to the base. This is still far better than anything I had back home."

Ratchet thought on this before venting. "Very well. Darkstorm, Skye is now your responsibility. But she is to remain at our base until you have fully recovered, understood?"

"Of course. I understand."

Skye looked at Darkstorm, eyes gleaming. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"You're welcome," she smiled.

* * *

"You want to come back with me. . . to the Autobot base?" Skybreak deadpanned.

"As my friend said before, anywhere has to be better than here," Vehicon 0-7645 shrugged.

Skybreak vented. Why was he even in this mess again?

_Skybreak stared at his sister sadly, his spark nearly breaking as he saw her distressed state. _

_"It was bad enough that I had to suffer on the Nemesis. Optimus should not have to share my fate," Darkstorm said adamantly. She vented softly and offlined her optics. "If only I was not injured. . . If only I could do _**_something _**_instead of lying here on this berth."_

_Skybreak dwelt upon this before saying, "Perhaps . . . there is something I can do to help."_

_Darkstorm stared at her brother with a mixture of hope and curiosity. "And that would be what exactly?"_

_Mech, he didn't want to have to do this. . . but, if it was for her. . . _

_"I can return to the Nemesis, beg for his forgiveness. It will be dangerous, that much is certain, but, if I play my cards right, I could rescue Optimus and bring him back here."_

_"Brother. . . I just got you back. I could not bear to lose you again," Darkstorm said sadly. _

_Skybreak held his sister's servo encouragingly. "And you won't. I've survived far worse, haven't I?" Skybreak frowned as coolant welled in his sister's optics. "Hey, don't do that. I'll be alright, trust me. I will come back to you, that much I promise."_

_With a little more coaxing, Darkstorm reluctantly agreed. She desperately wished to tell her team of their plan but Skybreak cautioned her to wait. He argued that they would never let him leave for fear of him betraying them and giving away their location to Megatron. _

_And so, with a heavy spark, Darkstorm prepared to see her brother off. _

_"I will return, Sister. This I solemnly vow," Skybreak whispered before kissing his sister's forehelm. _

_"May the human Primus be with you, dearest brother," she smiled. _

Oh, yeah. That's why.

"Fine, fine. When we escape, you can come with," Skybreak said.

The Vehicon nodded, his facial expressions unreadable behind his mask, but Skybreak could have sworn that he was smiling. "Thank you."

The two paused as they heard more cannon fire down the hallway. "You might want to let me lend a servo now," Skybreak said, drawing his cannon.

Skybreak and the Vehicon ran towards the commotion to see Starscream battling a squadron of Vehicons. The two of them immediately open fired at the former SIC. Starscream, seeing that he could not possibly win this battle, fled.

"You always were a coward too, Screamer," Skybreak smirked.

Skybreak halted however, as he heard loud footfall coming from behind him. "What is the meaning of this?!" Megatron demanded as he came down the hallway.

Skybreak lowered his helm respectfully. "Starscream, Lord Megatron. He returned to the Nemesis for energon, most likely. I saw the Vehicons move out to attack the intruder and I immediately did the same."

"And. . . my former Second in Command. He has been properly dealt with?"

"He fled, my lord, before I could finish the job."

Megatron vented sharply out of anger. "Very well. Now, return to your quarters. I shall see to it that he is dealt with later." Megatron entered "Orion's" quarters, conveniently next to the energon storage room, before the door shut behind him.

* * *

Darkstorm and the rest of team Prime looked on as Bulkhead arrived back at base.

"Any sign of the space bridge?" Arcee asked.

"Not one."

Ratchet vented disappointedly. "Well, then I suppose we should try another area. Bulkhead, move out. I'm sending you to-"

They were interrupted as a transmission came in. "Starscream?" Darkstorm asked with a raised optic ridge. The message stated that Ratchet must come alone to the coordinates provided with his medical kit and, in exchange for his services, valuable intel would be provided about Optimus.

"What's 'Starscream'?" Skye got up from the couch and walked to the railing.

"Not what. Who. Starscream was formerly the Decepticons' Second in Command but is now a deserter, a rogue," Ratchet answered.

"But he is still a very dangerous mech to trifle with," Darkstorm stated solemnly.

Miko shrugged. "I dunno, he doesn't scare me so much with that girly scream and fancy heels of his."

Skye stifled a laugh. "Really?"

Arcee took a step towards the humans. "Don't even think about it, Miko. Starscream may be pathetic but, like the others said, he's still very dangerous. And unpredictable. Who knows what he has planned for us at those coordinates."

"But. . . if there is a chance that he truly does have information about Optimus. . ." Darkstorm trailed off.

"I agree which is why I am not going alone. Bulkhead will accompany me in case things take a turn for the worst," Ratchet said.

The medic retrieved his medical kit and entered the coordinates in question into the ground bridge's controls. The two mechs moved out through the ground bridge cautiously, both of them preparing for the worst.

Darkstorm vented softly before pausing as another transmission was received by the base's main computer. Her spark soared as she saw that it was her brother.

"Brother?" she answered with a smile. "Oh, it is so good to hear from you again!"

"Same here," he chuckled. "Things sure are getting more complicated though. Screamer just attacked the Nemesis and. . . well, it looks like some old friends of yours want to have a reunion."

Darkstorm tilted her helm to the side curiously. "Old friends?"

"Yeah, a Vehicon and two miners. Turns out they want me to bring them back to base once I bust Optimus out."

Miner X92874, Darkstorm thought. The miner that I rescued from Ratchet when he had consumed Synthetic Energon. . . He truly wishes to become an Autobot?

"Then I suppose you have more support than you realize, Skybreak. That truly is excellent news. Have you made any progress?"

Skybreak vented. "No. Optimus, or should I say Orion, is right next to the energon reserves which means he is under heavy guard. I-" The line was silent for a few moments.

"Brother? What is wrong?"

"I have to go or else I'll be discovered. I should be able to report later. Goodbye, Sister," Skybreak said hurriedly before the transmission ended.

Darkstorm vented, inwardly worried about her brother. Megatron was known to brutally punish all traitors even if they were as loyal as her brother.

"Hey," Skye waited for Darkstorm to look at her before continuing. "He seems like a smart guy. I'm sure he'll do fine. We just have to wait until he feels comfortable contacting us again."

Darkstorm nodded her helm shakily. "Of course. I. . . I'm sure he will."

Ratchet and Bulkhead eventually returned from their mission. Much to the team's surprise, it had been successful.

"It looks like Starscream has proved his usefulness," Ratchet said. "We now know the location of the Decepticon's space bridge."

* * *

"The Decepticon space bridge is located right here," Ratchet pointed to a small blip on the computer screen. "Deep within an energon mine."

"Adjacent to a raw fuel supply. Clever," Arcee observed.

"Our plan of attack is this: we storm the compound and immediately take over their communications network. In doing so, we will prevent them from sending reinforcements. Then we can successfully send Jack to Cybertron. . . and Vector Sigma," Ratchet explained.

"Should Jack be going alone?" Everyone looked at Skye. "I mean, some people have trouble navigating our own planet, but a completely different one? And we don't know what dangers could be waiting there."

"Exactly," Jack's mother, June, added. "Who knows if the Decepticons will lay some sort of trap?"

"Which is why he isn't going alone," Arcee said. "Jack is my charge so he is my responsibility. I'll protect him while we go to Vector Sigma."

"But can something be done about keeping him safe from Cybertron's toxic atmosphere?" Darkstorm asked. "I have studied human anatomy for some time now and so I know all too well how devastating lack of oxygen can be to them."

"I believe I can solve that," Agent Fowler said. "I have some friends back at NASA who owe me a favor or two. I'm sure I can get a space suit for Jack here ASAP."

"Very well," Ratchet turned to address the team. "Darkstorm, you shall stay behind with the humans and monitor our progress. Autobots, prepare to roll out."

"See ya, Bulk," Miko walked up to her guardian. "Kick some 'Con tailpipe for me, will ya?"

Bulkhead smiled. "O' course. I'll be back soon, Miko."

"Be careful out there, alright 'Bee?" Raf asked.

Bumblebee smiled down at his young charge before picking him up gently and holding him to his chassis. _"You know me, Raf. I'm the epitome of careful. How about we go racing after this is all over, eh?"_

"O-Okay," Raf smiled tearfully.

Darkstorm walked up to Bumblebee hesitantly. "And I am sure you already know what I'm going to say, 'Bee."

Bumblebee embraced Darkstorm. _"I promised that I'd never leave you, and I'm a mech of my word. I will come back." _

He moved to go through the ground bridge before Darkstorm stopped him with an outstretched servo. Bumblebee looked at her questioningly before Darkstorm closed the distance between them. She gently released the manual latch to the mask that covered his mouth and her lip components met his. "I love you," she whispered.

_"And I love you," _Bumblebee replied with a smile. The mech caressed Darkstorm's facial plating tenderly before he followed the rest of the team through the ground bridge. The portal soon closed behind them and Darkstorm vented, immediately going over to the computer to monitor her team's progress.

Skye leaned towards Jack, keeping her voice low as a smile crossed her features. "And that's what Miko meant about 'Bee and 'Storm earlier?"

Jack nodded. "Yep. It was obvious to all of us long before they admitted it to each other. But, since they've come clean, things have been a bit less . . . awkward."

"You shoulda seen how they were when they were in denial though," Miko smirked. "It was positively adorable."

"I heard that," Darkstorm called out, her optics never leaving the screen. "My audio receptors are perfectly functioning, thank you very much."

Skye and Jack pointed to Miko while Miko pointed to Skye. "It was her!" they all exclaimed.

"I'm sure it was," Darkstorm rolled her optics and chuckled. "Now, surely you can talk about something other than my personal life?"

"Fine, fine," Miko smirked. Darkstorm shook her helm and immersed herself in her work once more before another question met her audio receptors. "So. . . is 'Bee a good kisser?"

Darkstorm's cooling fans activated as she turned around to glare at the femme. "Miko! That is none of your concern."

"Miko!" Jack stared at the femme with a warning look.

"What? It's just a question," Miko replied innocently.

"I'm always one for gossip," Skye pointed to the monitor, "but we do have a mission to carry out. Maybe we can focus on this later?"

"Thank you, Skye. At least, I know one femme around here has some sense," Darkstorm pinched the bridge of her upper facial plating.

She spotted an incoming transmission and immediately answered it. "Ratchet, what is your situation?"

"We have secured the space bridge platform, but we've been met with a setback," Ratchet replied, "Breakdown has called and is asking for an update. He would recognize all of our voices immediately and so we were wondering if Agent Fowler can assist us in this matter."

"Me?" Agent Fowler asked. "But-"

"It will be alright, Agent Fowler. All you have to do is assure Breakdown that there is nothing happening and that everything is going according to plan. It will be easy," Darkstorm reassured as she patched in Breakdown.

"Space Bridge Control, you have one nano-klick to respond or-" Breakdown began.

"Umm. . . this is Space Bridge Control. Situation normal."

"Normal? You sure about that?" Breakdown asked suspiciously.

Agent Fowler looked at Darkstorm questioningly but she smiled and gestured for him to continue. "We were just calibrating the subsystems and we, uh, had a surge. But it's fine now. . . How are you?"

"Uh. . . never better. Look, I know it's thankless down there. Keep up the good work, huh?"

"Will do. Control out." Agent Fowler ended the transmission.

"Well, now that that's taken care of, it looks like it's time for you to go, Jack," Darkstorm activated the ground bridge. "Since the space bridge platform is secured, you should have no trouble once you arrive. But I warn you, once you arrive stay close to Arcee at all times. The Decepticons still have outposts and sentries on Cybertron so be cautious."

"I will. Don't worry."

June walked over to her son and embraced him. "Stay safe, Jack. . . I'm proud of you."

"I love you, Mom," Jack smiled and walked through the ground bridge, waving goodbye to his mother before he vanished.

**A/N: Moyashi here! Hope you enjoy the twists and turns this fic has to offer, they're fun to write :D I also hope you find Skye okay-I try to write her likable and interesting but not too Mary-Sue. I'm so excited to continue these adventures through the rest of the series, and maybe even beyond! Especially with the airing of Prime's last episode tonight T.T**

**Thanks again for the support, guys. Cookies and blessings for all!**

**Theme Song: Somewhere by Within Temptation**

**A/N: And here you have Chappie 2! I do hope all of you enjoyed this as much as Blondie and I have enjoyed writing it. I also want to say I'm sorry to all of you who I told that Skye was going to be Skybreak's charge, but it seems our story and Skye have minds of their own. And speaking of Skye, isn't she amazingly legit? xD I love working with her. **

**Also, as an update on my own life. . . . well, my family ain't doing too well. We're having more financial problems and legal issues and I was wondering if y'all would continue to pray for me and my family. My da's back and rib are bothering him again and we're struggling with court meetings and such. We truly would appreciate it if you'd keep us in your prayers. **

**I would also like to thank all of our lovely reviewers, followers, and all the bosses who favorited our story. Y'all are awesome and you truly brighten our day!**

**"For You are my rock and my fortress; therefore, for Your Name's sake, lead me and guide me. Pull me out of the net which they have secretly laid for me, for You are my strength. Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth." Psalm 31: 3-5**

**Well, have an awesome weekend and may God bless each and every one of you. I love you!**

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**Disclaimer: Transformers Prime, its canon characters, and the basic plot of Orion Pax Part Three belong to Hasbro and the Hub. Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Miner X92874, Miner V6824, and Vehicon 0-7645. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher.**

Skye tapped her fingers on the desk in front of her, hating that she couldn't do anything to help. Instantaneous travel between locations? Between worlds? It would take a while before she could get the basic theory down, let alone put it to use. Still, there had to be something . . . Raf was helping Darkstorm with all the tech, Fowler warded off disaster with his acting skills, even Miko and June helped by offering emotional support.

She heard a sigh and turned to face Darkstorm, who had her eyes fixed on the monitor displaying the lifesigns of each team member. Skye smiled slightly and rested her elbows on the rail in front of her guardian. Maybe there was something she could do to help.

"You know, my old volleyball coach used to say that worrying didn't help, it just created bad air." She kept her tone calm, not wanting to sound like she was giving a lecture.

Darkstorm looked at her inquisitively. "Volleyball?"

"Eerrr . . . It's a sport I used to play. Basically the point is to keep the ball off the ground, and only six players at a time can be on the court. At the beginning of the season I wasn't one of the six on the court at the start of the games, and I worried about how the team would do, how hard the game would be, how I would perform, etc. and my coach always reminded me it didn't help." She smiled. "By the end of the season, I was one of the starters, and a lot of that worry went away. But it's not a matter of how much faith you have in your team, or if you trust them-if you care about something, or someone, you'll always worry."

Darkstorm smiled. "That's a fairly mature lesson, Skye. And one usually learned through experience."

The girl shrugged. "Yeah well, sometimes circumstances force you to grow up faster than you otherwise would." She paused, looking up at her guardian. "But seeing as how you're in a war, I suppose I don't have to tell you that."

Darkstorm's face dropped slightly. "Indeed," she replied sadly. She looked back to the console.

Skye sighed. Way to go, Skye. Some help you're being.

" 'Bad air,' huh?" Darkstorm asked with a small smile.

Skye smiled as well. "Yeah. She actually said 'aura' instead, but that ventures into an area that's not really my cup of tea." Her guardian looked down curiously. "Erm, not my thing. My coach believed some of the Eastern philosophies, some of which deal with reincarnation and spiritual energies and other ideas that I don't quite grasp. But 'aura' and 'air' are interchangeable in this instance."

Darkstorm paused as if thinking something over. "Eastern philosophies. . . Do you by any chance know about the human Primus? And his son Jesus?"

Skye tilted her head slightly, surprised she would know of Earth's religions. "Yes, actually, I've been raised Christian. I take it this 'Primus' is your god?"

"I was raised believing that but now. . ." Darkstorm vented softly. "I am starting to believe differently. You see, before you arrived, I was mortally wounded by Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, while I was trying to protect Bumblebee and the humans. I was in stasis lock, the Cybertronian equivalent of a human coma, for several days until I heard this voice." She chuckled, "Perhaps, it was my imagination but, I could have sworn I heard Bumblebee praying. . to the human Primus. . . and then this other voice told me 'And so you shall live, my child.' The next thing I knew, my optics were online and I was staring at Ratchet. The human Primus, it seems, saved my life."

Skye smiled. "Wow, that's just . . ." She thought back to her incident two years ago. "Wow. I know some people who are strong Christians who've never had an experience like that, then others who have but are adamant that God doesn't exist. It's sad really."

"Well, after that experience, I have no doubts in my mind that the human Pr-. . . that God exists," Darkstorm smiled.

"Arcee, Jack, do you copy?" Skye looked up at the monitor as Ratchet contacted the pair from the space bridge platform, the transmission also being detected by the Autobot base.

"Roger . . . we're on Cybertron." Jack sounded calm for being on another planet, in contrast to the cheering Fowler and Miko.

"Just keep the sight-seeing to a minimum, eh?" Bulkhead said jokingly.

"Indeed," Ratchet said with his usual exciting tone. "We don't know if your journey ahead is five kliks or five thousand."

"Understood. We're out," Arcee replied before cutting the comm.

Skye turned back to her guardian. "So now I guess we wait?"

Darkstorm nodded her helm solemnly. "Wait and hope for the best."

* * *

Skybreak stared at the metal ceiling covering his quarters, huffing a bit frustratedly. Great, just great. Megatron has me constantly under guard, Optimus or "Orion" seems to think he's an actual 'Con, and right now, I can't think of a single way to bust all of us out of this pit-spawned ship without Megatron having our helms. And what's worse. . . he couldn't even comm his sister without Soundwave monitoring him.

What did I get myself into? he thought with a vent.

His audio receptors adjusted as he heard heavy metal foot fall passing his quarters. Megatron. Leaving to go to the bridge after another talk with Orion, no doubt. He paused however as he heard a soft knock on his door.

"Hey, Skybreak! You online?"

Skybreak immediately got up from his berth and opened the door to his quarters. He looked both ways down the hall but saw no other guards besides the Vehicon.

"No guards, huh? You're a better asset than I thought," Skybreak mused.

The Vehicon rolled his optics under his mask. "Very funny. Now come on. Let's go to Optimus' quarters before the others get wise to what we're planning."

Skybreak nodded silently and they made their way to Orion's room where he was shakily working on decoding Project Iacon. When Skybreak and Vehicon 0-7645 entered the room, Optimus' optics were subtly fearful.

"I assure you, I am continuing my work. Tell Megatron that there is no need to send guards here."

"Sorry to disappoint, Optimus, but we aren't guards. My designation is Skybreak and this is. . ." Skybreak turned to the Vehicon, not knowing his designation.

"Vehicon 0-7645," he answered blandly. Primus, how he wished he had a real name. . .

"Yeah, that. Anyway, we're here to get you off this ship and back to your team."

"My team? Starscream informed me that I was a Prime, the rightful leader of the Autobots, but that cannot be. I am a humble archivist and my designation is Orion Pax, not Optimus Prime."

Skybreak's optical ridges knit together in frustration. "Okay then, Orion. We don't have much time so I'll be frank with you. Megatron isn't the same Megatronus you once knew. . . though judging by the fear in your optics, you already figured that part out."

Optimus nodded his helm, though he was still a bit suspicious of the two bots. "I do indeed fear that Megatron will use these coordinates for nefarious purposes. He threatened to terminate me if I do not do as he requested."

The Seeker internally sighed. Well, there goes one less complication. He already knows. "So, in order to make sure that Megatron doesn't use those coordinates for said nefarious purposes, we need to get you out of here. And, trust me, being with the Autobots is way better than staying here."

Optimus studied the two bots once more before hesitantly agreeing. "Alright. . . I shall go with you."

"Great," Skybreak smirked, "Now all we gotta do is get you to that space bridge."

* * *

"We're being attacked by some sort of giant 'Bot beetle!" Jack commed his teammates, panicked.

"An Insecticon," Ratchet observed with a grave tone.

"A what?!" June exclaimed.

"What are Decepticons doing on Cybertron?" Raf asked.

"Megatron ordered that some remain as sentries, if the Autobots should ever return," Darkstorm answered.

"Can we be sure this is the only one they'll run into?" Skye asked.

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component and shook her helm. "We cannot."

Skye looked at her guardian wide-eyed. "Then we need to send backup in!"

"There is no one to spare," Ratchet replied, his voice relaying his annoyance over the comm. "And Arcee is more than capable of taking on anything they run into."

"But will Jack be okay? I mean, since Arcee is preoccupied with that. . . thing? How is he supposed to find this Vector Sigma without his guide?"

"That is where you are wrong, Ms. Darby. Arcee is simply Jack's back up. The key card is his guide," Ratchet answered.

"Jack, go!" Arcee could be heard yelling, the sound of ion cannons echoing in the background.

Jack's mother looked downwards sadly before composing herself. "Listen to her, Jack. You've made it this far. Optimus is counting on you."

"Roger that, Mom." Jack sounded determined, if a bit nervous, before temporarily cutting the comm.

Darkstorm heard a strange whirring and grinding sound, and looked down at her charge. Skye looked to her right leg, and mumbled something with an irritated tone. The femme looked up at Darkstorm.

"Eehhh, I know this isn't the best time . . . but I'll need to go home and get some . . . supplies. Soon."

"I am afraid you cannot leave until we are sure that it is safe. . . but-" Darkstorm stared down at her charge with a curious look in her optics. "Your right leg. . . may I see it?"

The femme sighed and looked at the other humans, who were still staring at the screen in front of them. ". . . In private." She looked up at Darkstorm again. "I don't want to make a big deal of it."

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge but nodded, deciding to respect her charge's privacy. She held out one of her servos, silently offering a ride. Skye accepted, tendering her right leg. Darkstorm carried her charge to a secluded part of the med bay and gently set her down on an examination table.

Skye sighed, then leaned down and rolled her right pant leg up to the knee, revealing a robotic leg. Skye moved it slightly and it made that whirring sound again.

The femme closed her eyes. "That incident I mentioned from two years ago? I was driving home with a friend and a driver T-boned us-eh, hit us from the side, my side." She demonstrated with her hands as she spoke. "The crumpled metal from my door severed my right leg, and I barely survived the blood-loss. Once I was stabilized and moved out of the ICU, I was flown to America for a prosthetic. The idea was for me to learn how to live with one while still recovering, so by the time I was able to return to school, I'd be used to my new leg.

"When I arrived, the docs told me that the nerves were still somewhat intact, still sending signals to my leg. There had been 'great advancements' in their research of robotic prosthetics, so my parents decided that I would be fitted with a prototype." She walked to the edge of the table and sat down, her legs dangling over the edge. "I became a guinea pig of sorts. Between the docs and my personal study into the subject, we've been able to refine it to make it more stable and workable, so I can control it like my other leg now. But everytime I go to a hospital, there's a new team of med students or curious researchers ready to poke and prod."

Skye sighed. "And when my friends find out, I stop being Skye and become that poor girl with one leg. Or a Terminator I heard one day, that was fun."

Darkstorm stared at her charge with sadness in her optics. "I'm sorry. That must be rather hard but," she smiled softly, "if it makes you feel any better, you have my word that I won't treat you differently. You are still Skye in my optics."

Skye smiled up at the Seeker. "Thank you, Darkstorm. It means a lot to me, I . . . I hate that something so insignificant as a limb seems to rule my life." Her smiled slowly dropped. "I would appreciate it if this stays between us, at least for as long as it can. I know the others will find out eventually, but I'd rather not make a big fuss about it. And I'm not sure the others will treat me the same, no matter how hard they try." Darkstorm gently nodded in response.

Skye sighed then loosely laughed. "You know, I can usually keep it a secret for a few months, at least. And it's usually the hair that gives me away, not a faulty knee." She grasped a lock of hair at the tip with two fingers, indicating the gray portion, before releasing it. "Then I get here and day one, I spill the beans. You're very easy to talk to, Darkstorm."

"Well, thank you," Darkstorm smiled. "I do try to help when I can. Besides, I'm your guardian now. Isn't that my new job?"

Skye shrugged. "If that's the case, you're certainly doing a better job of it than my parents. But I will admit, it's nice not having to keep secrets from someone from the moment I meet them."

"I can imagine," Darkstorm nodded. "It can be difficult, especially if you're unsure of who you can trust."

"Yeah, it's like . . . it feels like something crushing your heart, is the best way I can describe it. Then I feel like I'm the one others can't trust. Then of course they learn about 'the big secret' and I go from being the one everyone deems as weird and stays away from, to being the victim who needs help getting a blo-" Skye stopped short and sighed harshly.

"I'm so sorry, Skye," Darkstorm vented softly. "You should not have to endure this. . . I only wish I could help you more."

"No, I-" Skye groaned, bringing one hand to her forehead. "I'm sorry. I'm just venting . . . I should be used to all this after two years but it still stings a bit. And it seems to feel better after heatedly complaining about it." She paused. "But what about you? You mentioned protecting the others in an attack, but it wasn't your first tiff, was it?"

Well, if Skye was to be her charge she should know, Darkstorm thought hesitantly. "There's nothing much to tell, Skye. My brother and I grew up as orphans on the streets of Kaon, a ghetto of sorts where the lower castes dwelt, pick-pocketing energon just to survive. Eventually however, Megatronus as he was known then, poisoned my brother's mind. He joined the Decepticons and I followed, hoping to protect him from getting hurt but. . . in the end, I only hurt myself." Darkstorm offlined her optics as cannon fire and the dying screams of both mechs and femmes echoed through her processor.

"Under Megatron's leadership, I. . . well, I did terrible things to innocent bots. Shortly after my first battle, I became a medic to try to escape-" She smiled wryly. "but that can be just as horrifying as being on the battlefield. Seeing the wounded. But I was healing instead of harming, and so I could not complain. . .

"All that changed however when my brother and I went on a routine energon scouting mission per Megatron's orders. Some rogue Autobots attacked the compound and my brother was caught in an energon fire. Thinking him to be offline, I fled in my grief and crash-landed here on Earth. Seeing an opportunity to leave my dark past behind, I begged Optimus to allow me to join the Autobots. He consented and so, here I am."

Skye visibly crumpled, her shoulders sagging, her back arched, head down, and hands loosely fiddling in her lap. "Wow," she said weakly. "Consider me humbled. You went through all that and still listen to me complain about trivial things?" She looked up at her guardian. "You're a strong person, Darkstorm."

"Your problems hold just as much weight as mine. Never think anything is too trivial to discuss with me," Darkstorm smiled softly. "And thank you. . . I know at times I feel anything but strong." She chuckled. "I can distinctly remember Bumblebee being my strength when I first came here. After what I had left behind, I found it quite hard to have my own."

Skye half-smiled. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, even if it gets pretty close to the former."

"Another human saying?" Darkstorm grinned.

"One that's kept me on my feet, ever since I got the second one back." The femme mirrored Darkstorm's smile.

Darkstorm giggled. "Now, I suggest we head back to the others before Miko sends out a search party." Darkstorm once more offered her servo to the femme.

Skye raised an eyebrow. "Somehow, that doesn't sound too inaccurate." She stood up on the table before accepting, still favoring her right leg. She rolled down the pant leg, covering up the prosthetic.

Darkstorm gently began carrying her charge towards the others before something caught her optic. Raf was frantically waving at her to come over to the computer and she couldn't help but fear for the worst. Once she had set Skye down, she rushed over to the main console. "Raf, what is it?"

"Their comm links. . . They're all down," the youngling replied, worried.

Darkstorm's optics widened and she placed a servo over her lip components to stifle her gasp. "Oh, no. . ." She set her gaze to her team's lifesigns. They were steady though she noted that their spark rates had become slightly faster as another Cybertronian entered the space bridge platform. Megatron. Darkstorm's wings lowered out of fear. "T-This cannot be. . ."

"What? What's wrong, Darkstorm?" June asked, feeling concerned for her son.

"Megatron. . . He just arrived at the space bridge platform." She winced as she saw Ratchet's life-signal become erratic before beeping softly. He had been knocked unconscious.

"There has to be something we can do!" Skye looked at her guardian pleadingly. "I have a device at my house that may-"

"I appreciate the thought, Skye, but Team Prime are proficient fighters. And Megatron is a gladiator-If the others can't defeat him, I fear you would not have a chance." Darkstorm paused. "But there may be something I can do."

"But Ratchet said you had to-"

"I know, Raf. I know, but I cannot stand by and watch as Megatron hurts my team." Darkstorm clenched her servos and walked over to the ground bridge controls. She punched in the coordinates. "Skye, whatever you do, you must stay here where you are safe."

The femme sighed but nodded. "You stay safe as well, Darkstorm."

Darkstorm smiled and ran through the portal, soon disappearing out of sight.

The femme Seeker braced herself as she entered the battlefield. Ratchet was still unconscious and Bulkhead had an awkwardly bent arm but the Wrecker still fought on. Bumblebee had sustained quite a few dents but he too seemed fine.

"Darkstorm? What're you doing here? You're supposed to be back at the base!" Bumblebee said as he continued to fire at the leader of the Decepticons.

"Now I couldn't let you have all the fun, could I?" Darkstorm smirked and unsheathed her blades.

Megatron turned his attention from Bulkhead as he heard Darkstorm's voice. He grinned maliciously. "Darkstorm. Out of the med bay so soon? I thought you had learned your lesson not to trifle with me."

Darkstorm fought to keep her racing spark under control. "That was your first mistake, Megatron. Believing that I could be handled like one of your underlings." She grit her dentals and charged at Megatron, swiping at him with her swords.

Megatron stumbled backwards as one of them cut his chassis but smirked and grabbed one of Darkstorm's arms brutally. She screamed in pain as the metal creaked under the force. Megatron pulled upwards and swung Darkstorm to the side like a rag doll, causing her to land several feet away in a crumpled heap.

"Darkstorm! No!" Bumblebee yelled before turning on Megatron. Bumblebee punched Megatron square in the jaw before the tyrant gripped his helm and banged it against a metal wall. After he had released his grip on the scout, Bumblebee slumped downwards as his optics flickered.

"N-No. . ." Darkstorm wheezed. She struggled to get up but her chassis protested. The battle had aggravated her previous wounds and she could no longer place any weight on her left arm. The former gladiator drew his own sword and walked towards her broken frame. Darkstorm whimpered as she felt the sharp metal against her throat cables.

"This time, I won't be so kind as to let you live," Megatron hissed. "Any last words, femme?"

"My sister may not but I have a few," a deep voice growled as Megatron was thrown away from his victim.

Megatron snarled as he turned to Skybreak with "Orion", two miners, and a Vehicon standing behind him with weapons drawn. "You-!"

"You're even more gullible than I remember, my lord," Skybreak smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he addressed Megatron by his title.

"So you have sealed your fate, Skybreak? Because there is no turning back. If you fight alongside the Autobots, I will offline you right beside your precious sister!"

"I'd like to see you try." The red and black Seeker activated his ion cannons and began firing at Megatron as a space bridge portal opened. . . revealing Arcee and Jack with the key of Vector Sigma. The miners and the Vehicon provided cover fire as Jack presented Optimus with the collective wisdom of the Primes.

This did not go unnoticed by Megatron. The leader of the Decepticons downed Skybreak with a set of devestating blows as he tried to reach Optimus in time. But it was too late.

Optimus turned to Megatron with a subtle glare, his memories having been restored. "Megatron, be gone!" Optimus began battling Megatron as Miner X92874, Miner V6824, and Vehicon 0-7645 dragged the wounded off the battlefield through a ground bridge portal.

Skybreak went over and drew his sister into his arms. "B-Brother?" she whispered.

"Why is it that I always have to rescue you from these sorts of messes, Sister?" Skybreak replied jokingly.

Darkstorm smiled and chuckled weakly. She paused as she saw the miner she had helped before supporting Bumblebee through the ground bridge. "Miner? You're here as well?"

"Let's just say you unwittingly made me an offer that I couldn't refuse," Miner X92874 said with a smile.

All of Team Prime finally made their way into their base, including their newly restored leader.

June ran up to her son, embracing him as the ground bridge deactivated behind him. The rest of the humans looked on the group with joy, curiosity, and suspicion at the Vehicon and miners, even as they helped get the injured Bots to the med bay.

"You can put me down now, Sky," Darkstorm chuckled, "My legs aren't broken." Skybreak smiled good-naturedly and gently put his sister down.

Skye, hearing her name, turned her attention to Darkstorm and her brother as the former spoke. She smiled and ran up to the edge, placing her hands on one of Darkstorm's. "Welcome back," she said, tears welling in her eyes.

Darkstorm gently smiled and fondly caressed Skye's face with a digit, careful not to cut her. "Was there ever any doubt that I would?"

Skybreak stared at the human with curiosity in his optics. "And who's this? Another one of the Autobots' human pets?"

Darkstorm shot her brother an irritated look. "Be nice, Brother. This is my new charge: Skye. Skye, meet my brother: Skybreak."

Skye glared at the Seeker, arms crossed. "Pleasure," she said sarcastically.

"My brother usually isn't like this. He's just had a few rough cycles, that's all," Darkstorm told her charge, glaring at her brother once more. The bot in question simply rolled his optics. Darkstorm vented wearily in response and turned towards the med bay. Ratchet was still in stasis, Bulkhead was clutching his arm, and Bumblebee held a servo to his helm, his facial plating furrowed in pain. "Speaking of a few rough cycles. . . I am needed in the med bay since our senior medical officer is still unconscious. Not to mention the repairs I need to make on myself." Darkstorm gestured with her optics to her dented left arm. "Now, try to get along while I'm gone, will you?"

"Yeah, Yeah. Sure thing," Skybreak said nonchalantly. Skye glared at him.

She looked back to her guardian before Darkstorm went to the med bay. "Is there somewhere . . . less crowded? Maybe outside?"

"Of course," Darkstorm smiled with understanding. "Just down the hall there should be a staircase that takes you to the roof, but at least take my brother with you. Someone needs to keep you safe while I am otherwise preoccupied."

Skye sighed but nodded. "Thank you." She glanced at Skybreak before limping to the staircase.

"Be polite!" Darkstorm stared at Skybreak pointedly before heading over to the med bay, immediately beginning repairs on all the bots.

Skybreak huffed frustratedly but nodded to himself and followed Skye up to the roof.

Jack motioned to Skye with his thumb. "What happened to her leg?"

"Dunno," Miko shrugged. "Tried asking 'Storm but she wouldn't say."

Jack's brows furrowed, but he said nothing else. He simply watched as Skye disappeared to the roof of the base.

* * *

Skye stretched her arms towards the sky. Man, this had been a crazy day . . . She looked around, and saw that the area was totally flat, save a large pile of rocks. Curious, she walked towards it. She heard Skybreak's heavier steps behind her and sighed.

She saw a red object in front of the rocks and diverted, even as her knee grinded in protest. Skye was all too glad her right leg didn't have pain receptors as she reached the object and knelt. She gasped lightly at what she saw.

A rose. She looked at the rocks again. Was . . . was this a memorial of some kind?

This was obviously a vicious war the Autobots were fighting, judging by the state of the team just now. But . . . they were robots. Fix the leaks, find the crossed wires, and problem was fixed. But there was more to them than just that. There was personality. Skye had to admit she was growing attached to Darkstorm the same way she was attached to her friends. Not to mention Darkstorm's relationship with Bumblebee. Pain, personality, love . . . death. They were more human than Skye first imagined, than anyone could have. And . . . and they could die.

Skye put her hand on the rock closest to her, then heard Skybreak approach her from behind.

"Cliffjumper." Skye turned to him, his facial expression grim. "Tough little slagger. We scrapped on occasion . . ." Skybreak smirked. "He talked almost more than he fought."

"Why are you fighting?" she asked sadly.

Skybreak knelt, placing an elbow on his knee. "For a better life. A better Cybertron." He sighed before turning his gaze to the horizon. "You probably wouldn't understand. 'Storm and I grew up with nothing, as nothing, along with most everyone we knew. We were as good as scrap to the ones who could have helped us. We wanted to change that."

Skye stood. "I think I understand more than you think. For the past few years all of my decisions have been made for me. I've been told what I would do, and most of the time, it was for someone else's curiosity . . . or greed. Never to help anyone, and never per my permission."

"Sounds a bit like my time under Megatron. But, then again, I always was. . . misguided when I was younger."

Skye smiled slightly. "It takes a lot of growing up to be able to admit that."

Skybreak shrugged. "Or a reality check, unfortunately."

"At least you're in a position you can change. Compared to a kid with no money, no legal rights, that's one up you have on me."

Skybreak raised an optic ridge. "Sounds rough, kid."

Skye shrugged as Skybreak had done a moment earlier. "You manage with what you're given." She smirked at him. "Maybe you and I understand each other a bit more than we first thought."

"And I suppose you're not that bad, for a human," Skybreak donned a matching smirk.

* * *

Darkstorm was so busy working on the wounded that she could have sworn that she was back on the Nemesis. Ratchet was stable and she had already repaired Bulkhead's arm but she still had to work on Arcee's frame that had been ravaged by scraplets on Cybertron and Bumblebee's helm trauma. Whilst she was repairing away, Optimus turned to the Vehicon and miners.

The rest of the team were slightly surprised once they studied them up close. They were all so. . . different. Not clones, at all. Miner V6824's facial plating was much darker than his two friend's and his chassis was bulkier. Miner X92874 was lankier and his facial plating was thin, almost elvish in appearance, with slight scarring due to Ratchet's previous attack on him. Vehicon 0-7645's optics were larger than the others and they held a mischevious glint, matching his cocky grin.

"I wish to thank you for helping me escape the Nemesis," Optimus said.

"No prob, mech," Miner V6824 replied. "Thank you for not shooting at us."

"We were tempted to," Arcee piped in, as suspicious as ever. "What are two Decepticon miners and a Vehicon doing aiding the Autobots?"

"Simple," Miner X92874 answered, "When I was attacked by your chief medical officer-" Ratchet visible winced at this. "Darkstorm was the one who saved me. Then I heard Optimus talking about the Autobot code. . . I used to believe it was some sort of ruse, a deception. But. . . anything had to be better than being cannon fodder for Megatron. We had just as little hope on the Nemesis as we did on Cybertron. And so we figured we'd give the Autobots a chance. . ." he shook his helm. "Anything had to better than serving under Megatron for another cycle."

Darkstorm paused as she listened while repairing Bumblebee's helm. "And so when I rescued you. . . you changed your mind about the Autobots?"

"Hey, if a nice gal like you could be an Autobot, we figured they ain't so bad," Miner V6824 smiled.

"If you truly wish to become an Autobot, then I welcome you," Optimus smiled. "All of you."

The miners and Vehicons were slightly taken aback. They figured Optimus would be more suspicious. . . perhaps place them in stasis cuffs under guard, but welcoming them with open arms? It was the last thing they were expecting.

"Thank you, Optimus. I promise you, we will try to make ourselves useful and earn your trust." Miner X92874 stated humbly.

"By rescuing me and helping my team to safety, you already have earned my trust," Optimus replied and placed a servo on the miner's shoulder plating. "Welcome to the Autobots, friend."

Darkstorm smiled triumphantly as Bumblebee's helm was finally perfect again. "And I welcome you as well. But first things first. . . I believe we should give you all proper designations."

The bots stared at her in shock. "Proper designations?" Miner X92874 asked softly.

"You are leaving your old life behind. You are no longer a faceless member of the lower castes. You are an individual. You mean something here. And so you'll all need proper designations," Darkstorm smiled and moved onto repairing Arcee. "Take it as a step towards freedom."

Darkstorm continued to work as she presented the miners and the Vehicon with her ideas for their new names. "Miner X92874. . . how do you like Drift?"

"Drift. . ." Miner X92874 smiled softly. "I like it. Thank you, Darkstorm."

"I believe Miner V6824 should be renamed Shiv. He was a very skilled black-ops agent during the early days of the war."

"Shiv," Miner V6824 chuckled. "Sounds wonderful, doll."

"And for Vehicon 0-7645, how does Jolt sound?"

"Jolt, huh? Fits me, in a way." Vehicon 0-7645 winked. Bumblebee glared at the Vehicon.

"Then Drift, Shiv, Jolt, welcome. . . to your new home."

**A/N: That's right folks, we has Optimus, and Skybreak, and a whole kit-n-kaboodle of new charas for Team Prime :D things are bound to get interesting, but I hope for now you guys enjoy some emotional stuffs and backstories and hey, action scene! And now we know what Skye's big secret is, but what's this mystery device she mentioned? :O**

**Theme song: "Heart" - Two Steps From Hell (somehow with the bonding in the beginning and end, then the fight in the middle/end, it fits with the music :3)**

**A/N: Another chappie bites the dust! :D I do hope y'all liked this chapter including all the Skye and Storm bonding moments! XD They are just so sweet to write! I think I got a few cavities too. And it looks like Team Prime got some new members and Darkstorm and her brother are reunited at last. *sighs contently* I do love happy endings. . .**

**And credit goes to The Prime Writer for suggesting Shiv as a name for the Miner. I'd also like to thank Guest for suggesting names :D I really do appreciate your input!**

**Well, make sure you write a review to tell us how we did and thank you to all our lovely reviewers, followers, and lovely folks who have recently favorited this story. We love all of you!**

**"But now, this is what the Lord says- He who created you, Jacob, He who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your stead." Isaiah 43: 1-3**

**God bless you, dearies!**

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**Disclaimer: All rights to Transformers Prime and its canon characters belong to Hasbro and the Hub. Dream'sRealm owns Shiv, Drift, Jolt, Darkstorm, and Skybreak. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher. **

After many more hours of repairs, Darkstorm had finally finished working on the 'Bots and had even straightened out her arm. Thankfully no energon lines had been punctured or important wiring destroyed but, it still caused her quite a bit of pain to deal with.

Darkstorm turned to her charge. "Well, Skye, I believe it is safe to take you home now. There is no recorded Decepticon activity and my team has been repaired, as best as I could manage anyway. I shall escort you back to your family."

Skye smiled at her guardian. "Great, thank you. Though . . ." she looked up and down Darkstorm's frame. "I fear a giant robot may be a bit . . . noticeable for a group trying to keep its existence a secret."

"I thought you might say something like that," Darkstorm grinned and activated her holoform. The young woman wearing black and purple clothing and sunglasses giggled. "See? Quite discreet, aren't they?"

Skye's eyes went wide and she practically grinned ear-to-ear. "That's incredible! Okay . . . there are some woods behind my house-maybe we eh, what's the term, bridge? Maybe we bridge into there, then we can walk to the house. That way we don't have to worry about anyone seeing it."

"Sounds perfect," Darkstorm smiled.

"But, someone should go with you, Sister," Skybreak interrupted. "I mean, you're still hurt."

_"Yeah, 'Storm. Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" _Bumblebee added.

Darkstorm raised an eyebrow. "My arm is fine now and I believe I have proven before that I can take care of myself. Don't worry. I shall be back before you know it."

"The coordinates of your dwelling, Skye?" Ratchet asked the human femme.

Skye looked back and forth between Skybreak and Bumblebee, seemingly ignoring Ratchet for the moment. "Eehhh yeah. I'll have enough of a time explaining Darkstorm away, but bringing guys to the house?" She huffed. "Would not end well. As for coordinates . . . I honestly don't know. Can we just Google Maps it or something?"

Ratchet stared at Skye as if she had lost her sanity. "Google Maps?"

The femme looked between the group, 'Bots and humans alike. "You don't . . . know Google?" She laughed nervously. "Eehhhh." She spotted Raf in front of his computer. "Help me out, Raf?"

"It's a search engine. You basically type in a few key words and sift through information. One of Google's features is Google Maps where you can find locations, Skye's house in this case," Raf explained to Ratchet.

"Very well. Give me the location of your house then and I will use. . . Google Maps," Ratchet said.

"It's in Keene Valley, New York, United-" she shook her head, cutting off the rest of the sentence. "My house is on the . . . west side of town." Her expression suggested that she didn't have much more information.

Ratchet vented heavily but searched for Skye's house with what little information he was given. "Is this it?" he asked impatiently, pointing to a blip on the base's computer.

Skye looked surprised. "Yeah, actually." She circled an area with her finger from where she stood. "That area to the west should be good. No trails or paths."

Ratchet nodded and promptly opened a ground bridge portal to that specific location. Darkstorm entered the portal and gestured for Skye to follow. The femme jogged to catch up with her, still limping. When they exited the ground bridge portal, they were met with lush forest.

Skye took a deep breath, eyes closed. "Smells amazing, doesn't it? Not like I didn't smell this earlier today, or every day for the past two years." Her eyes shot open and looked to Darkstorm. "Oh, how do I introduce you? Darkstorm isn't exactly a . . .common human name."

"My human alias is Dawn," Darkstorm smiled. "And yes, this area does smell. . . amazing. Pine, isn't it?"

Skye shrugged. "I dunno. I don't know a pine tree from a grape vine." She seemed to dwell on something for a moment. "Heh Dawn, Skye . . . that's kinda funny."

"Indeed," Darkstorm giggled. "Both related to the realm above us in some way. If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a Seeker yourself."

She shrugged. "Just because I'm not one in body doesn't mean I can't be one in heart." She smiled and nodded toward a structure a short distance away. "That's it."

Darkstorm began to make her way over to Skye's home. "I do hope your parents will be understanding."

The femme sighed. "They don't have to be, nor do I altogether expect them to be. You know how I mentioned being a guinea pig and whatnot? Well, I'm well-compensated for it. I have a bank account in my name, to which funds are funneled after I partake in studies and trials. As long as I'm around and give my consent, my parents have access to these funds. But if I, say, go across the country and lock my account, they're shut out." She shrugged. "And of course there's the matter of me being the pride of their lives, their little baby, flying the coup, on my own in the cruel world, yadiyada."

Oh, wonderful, Darkstorm thought with an inward sigh. Something tells me this will not be like a visit with Rafael's mother. When Darkstorm finally reached Skye's house, she nervously knocked on the front door.

Skye opened the door without a response. She turned and smiled at Darkstorm. "It's my home, I don't have to knock," she teased.

"Ah, of course," Darkstorm chuckled, still a bit nervous.

Skye turned to her as they walked. "You can relax. My mum may cling to me like a leaf to a tree but she doesn't bite . . . hard." She turned her head and looked into a room around the corner from where they stood. "Mum? I'm back."

A femme sporting the same hair color as Skye jumped in her chair, her back to the femmes, before standing and facing them. "Skye, do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Mum, I explained earlier that I would be back late. Besides, some stuff came up at the hospital. And, long story short, I'm leaving for a while." She turned, indicating a staircase behind Darkstorm. "So, I don't suppose dad's around somewhere?" She followed Darkstorm up the stairs.

"Leaving? What do you mean leaving?" Skye's mother asked incredulously but her protests went unnoticed by her daughter.

Skye turned right at the top of the staircase. "I need to fix up my knee really quick before we head out." Darkstorm nodded as Skye started leading her down the hallway. She opened a door on the left, revealing a room with a berth, several tops hanging against the wall, a dresser, and a computer on a desk.

Her charge sat on the berth, pulling a case out from under it and placing it next to her. She opened it to reveal a tool kit with instruments the Seeker didn't recognize-clearly designed specifically for Skye's situation.

Someone stomped up the staircase, and a moment later Skye's mother entered the room.

"Skye, I demand to know what's going on." She eyed Darkstorm. "And who're you?"

Skye sighed as she worked on her knee. "This is Dawn. She gave me a ride from the hospital."

Her mother put her hands on her hips. "You still haven't explained why you think you're leaving in the middle of the night."

"Actually it's not that late."

"Skye Rennett, don't you split hairs with me."

The femme rolled her eyes but continued working. "While I was at the hospital, I was approached by a group that does work with robotic research, development, applications, the like. I was offered a position, and, seeing as how I'm out of school, have no solid arrangements with any universities, and am legally an adult now, I accepted." Skye put her tools down and straightened her leg. She bent and straightened it again a few times before smiling and packing the tools up.

"You did what?!" The woman turned to Darkstorm, her glare dangerous as she pointed to the femme. "Is this your doing?"

Darkstorm's eyes widened behind her sunglasses and she looked down skittishly. "I-I. . ."

Skye had been pulling clothes from where they hung and throwing them onto the berth, but she soon turned and stormed up to her mother. "You leave her out of this! It was my decision to make and I made it based on what I want."

"This is about more than just what you want, Skye. You should have talked to us before committing to something like this."

"Like you talked to me about my leg? Ignoring the possibility of nerve damage down the road, not telling me that it would take longer to rehabilitate, not considering that it would render me unable to swim or play sports again. Just hearing that we could participate in labs and receive funds and it was 'yep, slap one on her.' "

Skye turned again and started stuffing clothes into a bag that looked like what the younglings took to school.

"You know that's not fair, Skye."

"The whole situation wasn't fair, but I never had a choice in any of it." Skye sighed and her tone softened. "But now I do have a choice, and I'm taking the opportunity to do something special. To see things few ever will."

Her mother's face and voice were less aggressive now as well. "To see what, exactly?"

"Eehh it's classified, actually." She looked around the berth. "Have you seen my leg charger?"

"Classified, huh?" the woman asked, crossing her arms.

Skye dove across her berth, landing on her abdomen with a grunt. "That would be correct," she replied, her head upside down as she looked under the berth. "There you are," she said quietly as she reached for something. She pulled out a long cord and stuffed it into the bag before zipping it up.

She stood and slipped an arm into one of the straps. "Now to the batcave, Robin!" Darkstorm looked at the femme, confused. Skye smiled, nodding towards the hall. "Follow me." They walked into the hall, and Skye opened the door on their left, situated at the end of the hallway.

The room looked surprisingly similar to Knock Out's lab, with dismantled devices on one table, another with several half-finished gadgets stacked atop one another, and a third where several devices were laid out, most likely the finished products.

"Welcome to my cave, where all my time not spent studying is passed." Skye led her guardian to the third table. "These are the fruits of my labor. Studying my leg was entertaining for a short time, but I wanted to learn about different devices and how I could change them. Take this for ex-" The gadget she was reaching for zapped her hand from a few inches away and she yelped. "Take this piece of scrap for example," she said through gritted teeth as she picked it up slowly. "Used to be a stun gun, but I tore it apart, figured out what made it tick, and made this more stylish, if temperamental stunner." She first pointed to the husk of the stun gun on the first table, then indicated the device in her hand. It looked like a long metallic glove without fingers, but with a circular metal portion that went over the back of the hand.

She put the stunner down and smiled as she pointed to something in front of where Darkstorm was standing. "This is my favorite." She reached over and grabbed it. "This is a high-end climbing harness-not just for your average kid in the mountains, this in and of itself is strong but unremarkable. Until you add these. Magnets." She grabbed the magnet connected to the harness by a rope. "Each can hold from seventy-five to one hundred pounds, so between this and the other two I have, I can basically climb a completely flat metal surface. Not necessarily my favorite, but at least I don't have to depend on handholds where there are none."

"Remarkable," Darkstorm observed. "So this is what you meant by devices. . . And you modified these yourself?" She delicately picked up the harness and studied it. "It is far from Cybertronian but incredibly well built. It seems you have a Pr-. . . God given gift for technology."

"Why thank you, Dar-eh, Dawn. It really means a lot, especially considering your . . . background. It's funny, I played sports and did a lot of physical stuff before I lost my leg. I never realized my affinity for tech until afterwards. Kinda gives me hope, knowing everything happens for a reason, ya know?"

"Indeed. After all, what would we do if we did not have hope?" Darkstorm smiled.

"Run around like chickens with our heads cut off." The femme laughed as she spoke.

Darkstorm was not entirely sure what a chicken was but she could still find humor in the statement. She too laughed. "Or a petro-rabbit being chased by Dinobots."

Skye seemed to ponder something. "I haven't seen that, but I think I can kinda visualize it . . . a bunny being chased by a dinosaur." She laughed. "I'd place my bets on the bunny!" Once she gained her composure enough to stand, she walked to a closet next to the second table and fetched a large bag, carrying it back to where Darkstorm was standing in front of the third table.

She started packing the gadgets into the bag carefully, placing each item gently in the bottom. She grabbed the stunner and glared at it before throwing it in. Skye grabbed a blanket from under the table and laid it over the items before turning and throwing several items from the first and second tables in, including some tools.

When the bag looked about ready to burst, she zipped it up and slung it over her shoulder. "I think that's about it . . . you ready to head out?"

"If you are ready, then yes," Darkstorm smiled before pausing. "But shouldn't you say goodbye to your father as well?"

Skye sighed, a less than excited expression on her face. "I guess so. Hey Mum!" she yelled into the hall. "Where's Dad?"

"I think he was out working on the car." Her mother spoke as she walked down the staircase.

The femme sighed. "Of course he is." She looked to her guardian and nodded her head toward the staircase. Darkstorm smiled reassuringly at her charge and made her way down the stairs.

When they reached the bottom they turned away from the door they first entered, and walked towards a larger, fancier door. Skye walked through first, and in the fading light the femmes could see a figure lying under a vehicle of some sort.

"Dad?" Skye asked as they approached the figure, which stood up. "I'm, uh . . . going away for a while."

The figure, a man at least a head taller than Skye, wiped his hands on a rag he was holding. "Do you know when you'll be back?"

"Dad, I'm . . . it's not just a sleepover. I'm leaving town . . . for I don't know how long."

"Oh, alright then." The man sounded far less concerned than Skye's mother. "Stay safe."

"I assure you, Mr. Shelsher, your daughter will be quite safe. You have my word," Darkstorm said.

"Hmm, well then." He turned and started walking back towards the vehicle nonchalantly. "Have fun."

Skye sighed angrily before turning to Darkstorm. "Let's say bye to Mum then get out of here." She sounded frustrated . . . but there was something else too. Sorrow, perhaps? Darkstorm sighed herself before following the femme back into the house. Internally, she was a bit surprised by Skye's creator's behavior. If her youngling was leaving she would be concerned like Skye's carrier, not apathetic. Darkstorm was beginning to understand why Skye wished to stay at the Autobot base with her.

"Mum, I'm ready to go."

The woman came from around the corner, walking slowly as she approached them. She and Skye shared a look for a moment before embracing each other.

"Are you sure you want to do this, sweetheart?"

Skye sniffed then sighed. "Absolutely." The two pulled away, looking at each other again before breaking the gaze.

"Well . . . you'll call me everyday."

"I'm not sure that'll be possible, but I'll contact you as often as I can. They'll probably be working me really hard."

The woman looked sadly at her daughter before looking to Darkstorm. "Are you working there too?"

"Yes, Mrs. Shelsher, I am. And I will make sure that Skye calls you as often as possible," Darkstorm smiled. "Thank you for allowing her to leave."

Skye's mother looked back to her daughter. "I'm not sure how much input I have here. But you make sure to keep my baby safe. I do have a shotgun and I'm not afraid to use it."

"Mum, I'll be fine. I promise." Skye looked to her friend then nodded to the back door before looking back to her mother. "Bye Mum. I love you." She quickly hugged her again before breaking it off and walking towards the door. Darkstorm followed, smiling once more at Skye's carrier before exiting the building.

"Ratchet, requesting another ground bridge. We're ready," Darkstorm commed the base.

Skye kept her gaze locked on the ground as they walked back into the woods. "Darkstorm . . . thank you for coming. None of my friends have come to my house, at least not since my accident." She smiled somewhat sadly as she looked at the Seeker. "It's hard to find people who can listen to me talk about my issues and interests, let alone someone who can relate."

"You're welcome and I completely understand. During my time on the Nemesis, my only friend was my brother and. . . well, he often had his own problems to deal with."

Skye shook her head. "I still don't know how you can listen to me after you've been fighting a war for . . . well, after you've fought a war. Still are in a war."

"I told you before, your problems hold just as much weight as mine, Skye, and I am happy to help in any way I can," Darkstorm smiled. "I'll always be here to help, if you should need me."

"Thank you . . . so much." She sniffed. "I guess when you see so much pain, you'd want to alleviate as much of it as you can." She put a shaky hand in front of her face, blocking much of it from Darkstorm's view.

Darkstorm sensed her charge's distress and immediately wrapped her arms around her. "Oh, Skye . . . Everything is going to be alright. I'll make sure of it . . . You will have a new life with us, and no one will ever hurt you again."

She felt Skye's shaking arms return the embrace as the femme buried her face in Darkstorm's shoulder.

Eventually the shaking got better and Skye pulled away, wiping at the remaining tears. "You're something else, Darkstorm. I haven't cried that hard since I first saw Titanic. At least . . . not emotional tears." She sniffed again and her voice was weak. "I think losing my leg still holds the highest record." She smiled. "You . . . I think you're the best friend I've ever had. And we've only known each other for what, a day?"

"Yes, we have indeed known each other for only one Earth cycle but . . . I feel the same," Darkstorm smiled. "You truly are a special femme, Skye."

"Same to you. Now." She cleared her throat. "Let's head home."

"Indeed. Let's head home." Darkstorm led Skye into the ground bridge portal and deactivated her holoform.

Several heads turned as the ground bridge closed, many of them curiously studying Skye's baggage load.

"What are you hiding in there, a drum set?" Miko asked, one hand on her hip, as usual.

Skye smiled. "Anyone can get a drum set. But special, priceless, one-of-a-kind items are in here. They'll be bronzed and hung in museums ten years from now." She took a dramatic pose to match her tone on the last sentence. One thing was for sure though, they were one of a kind.

Darkstorm giggled and began to explain. "They're technical devices that Skye built herself and I must say, she has a gift."

Skye dropped the bags and bowed dramatically. "Thank you." She turned to the humans. "Who's up for a demonstration?"

"I am!" Raf exclaimed with an excited smile. The humans ran to where Skye stood as she started picking through the bags. She set down the magnet-harness and stunner-which zapped her when she picked it up-behind her, but the other devices she put next to the bag. The younglings stood or kneeled around Skye's bag, inquiring what the gadgets were. Some of the Autobots too gathered around the pile and stared at all the gadgets curiously.

"Let's see, there's an etcher there in front of Miko. You know how some people etch things into metal? Well, that there is a super-etcher, etching deeper than others of its kind. Drawback is that it's obviously bigger, heavier, and takes longer to etch. By Raf is kind of a personal entertainment rig-smallest DVD player I could find, hooked up to a visor-style television allowing 120 degrees of vision, and pretty decent headphones. Not advised to use for more than one or two films at a time, and certainly not to avoid chores-I put a lot of work into that and would not want to see it broken by angry parents." As Skye continued explaining what each gadget was, Jack noticed something behind her back.

"What are those?" he asked, pointing to them. Skye turned to see what he was talking about.

"Ones that I'd rather keep close. But there's a climbing harness with magnets and a stubborn stunner." She reached for the latter, and it shocked her, not surprisingly. "I still need to refine it, but I have other things to finish. However, I can show you the harness." The younglings' smiles were her answer as she stood and started working her way into the straps and tightening everything. It took a moment before she was ready, but when she was she grabbed the three magnets that made the rig special.

She looked around the room and whispered something before turning to her guardian. "Darkstorm, would you like to put your armor on the line in the name of glory?"

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge suspiciously. "Yes?"

The femme laughed. "Don't worry, I'm joking. I just need a metal surface and your armor seems to allow for some footholds is all. This isn't dangerous to anyone."

"Alright then. I'm ready," Darkstorm chuckled.

Skye walked up to Darkstorm's pedde and studied it before taking a deep breath. With a magnet in each hand, she leapt, using the magnets to cling to the metal a couple feet off the ground. She then released one of the magnets long enough to grab the one attached to the harness and placing it just above her head. She slipped her feet into slits in Darkstorm's armor before using the magnets to climb a foot or so higher, before replacing the harness magnet above her head. She repeated this pattern as she ascended.

Meanwhile, human and 'Bot alike stared at the human in awe.

_"Wow. . . that's amazing!" _Bumblebee whirred.

Skye grunted as she climbed. "It may come in handy," she said, her voice strained by the climb. "Run across any 'Cons . . . can be like when a bug persistently annoys you. . . Distraction." She reached the top of Darkstorm's leg, and had to take a break, resting her arms across the three magnets as she breathed heavily.

Darkstorm giggled and held out her servo, which the femme climbed into. "This device is even more remarkable in action, Skye."

"Indeed," Ratchet agreed. "And you said you . . . built this?"

Her breathing was better but still heavy. "Actually, for this one I just had to order the magnets and harness online and rig it so I didn't have to pull them away with the hundred pounds of strength that I lack. The hard part with this one was recovering the strength and muscle I lost when I . . . didn't climb for a season." She bowed her head as she finished.

"Incredible," Ratchet mused.

"It seems like there's more than meets the optic with you, Skye," Skybreak smirked.

"It means a lot coming from you guys. Thanks." She looked at Ratchet and Skybreak as she spoke.

The group stood in silence for a few seconds before Ratchet turned back to his work station. "Well, we should get back to work. There's a lot to be done."

Skye looked at her guardian as the latter set her down. "Thanks for the demo, Darkstorm. And the lift."

"You're most welcome, Skye," Darkstorm smiled.

Skye looked to the group of humans and the gadgets in front of them. "Help yourselves to whatever you like. Most of them have just been sitting on tables for months." They smiled and picked through the pile.

She yawned then rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?" She yawned again. "Stupid time zones. In New York it was midnight. So it's . . . nine here? Feels so much later."

"If you wish, I can show you where you can sleep," Darkstorm offered before chuckling. "The other children will probably be up all night rummaging through your inventions."

The femme lazily smiled. "As long as it doesn't have through-traffic, that sounds good to me. Oh!" She opened her smaller backpack and pulled out a cord. "Does it have a wall plug-in?"

"I do believe there is one, though I'd have to look through my quarters thoroughly to know for sure." Darkstorm offered her servo to the femme once more. "Now, come. You look like you will go into stasis any minute."

Skye didn't climb into her servo so much as fall. "Ugh, I feel like I'm going into stasis. Wait . . . your quarters . . . we're bunking together?" She yawned again. "That's cool."

"Only until more suitable arrangements can be made." Darkstorm turned to Raf. "Raf, do you have some spare bedding I can borrow?"

"Sure," Raf smiled and rummaged through his duffel bag before pulling out some pillows and a blanket.

"Thank you." Darkstorm took them gratefully and headed towards her quarters. When she reached them, she gently placed Skye down on her berth and arranged her so that she would be comfortable.

"I, um . . ." she rubbed her eyes. "I need to plug my leg in before I zonk. Is there . . . ?" She scanned the wall next to her with lazy eyes.

Darkstorm also scanned the room until she found what she was looking for. Luckily, there was a small electrical outlet nearby Skye. The femme saw it too and plugged the cord she was carrying into it.

She pulled up her pant leg to reveal a small port on the outside portion of the prosthetic, located near the knee. "That probably sounds ridiculous, plugging a leg in. But it is run by lithium-ion batteries that-" she was interrupted by another yawn. "That need to be recharged every couple days."

"It's not ridiculous. Not ridiculous, at all," Darkstorm smiled softly and shook her helm.

Skye laid down on the bedding in what some might consider an unusual position, but she seemed comfortable enough. And was sleeping soundly before Darkstorm could say anything. "Goodnight, Skye," she chuckled before exiting the room.

She smiled when she saw Drift, Shiv, and Jolt in the hallway. "Hello there. Are you all adjusting well?"

"Yeah, we're doing just fine," Shiv grinned. "Is the human recharging?"

"Yes," Darkstorm smiled. "Which I can understand. It has been quite the tiring day for her."

"I can imagine," Drift donned a matching smile.

A few moments of silence passed between them before Jolt opened his big mouth. "So. . . Darkstorm," Jolt smirked. "You have any plans for tonight?"

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge at the Vehicon. "What do you-?"

Drift intervened before Jolt could get himself into too much trouble. "Speaking of plans, we'd better recharge ourselves. Goodnight, Darkstorm." Drift grabbed ahold of Jolt's arm and dragged him away while Shiv simply smiled and waved goodbye to her.

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component to prevent herself from laughing as she saw Drift smack Jolt's helm further down the hallway. Shaking her helm at the mechs, she began to look for Bumblebee. In truth, she did feel slightly guilty for not spending time with him that day but, she did have a charge now. Surely he would understand since he had one of his own. Not to mention everything else that had been occurring lately. . .

She finally spotted him watching the television with Jack and Miko. It seemed Raf was just as tired as Skye had been for he was already sound asleep on the couch.

"Bumblebee?"

Bumblebee turned around and smiled. _"Hey, 'Storm. I take it she's asleep?"_

Darkstorm nodded. "I believe all the excitement tired her out." She smiled. "Care to take a walk with me?"

_"Of course." _Bumblebee began walking alongside Darkstorm as Miko smirked widely, signaling that she had an idea.

Jack glanced at her suspiciously. "Uh-oh. What are you up to?"

"Well, you know how 'Storm and 'Bee are a total item, right? But they've never been on a date. And since there's no Decepticon activity. . ." Miko trailed off.

"Eh, Miko, not sure if you noticed, but Jasper isn't exactly the best place for 'Bots to have a first date-or any date. And I don't know of any places that would work . . .do you?"

Miko shrugged. "I'm sure we can work something out. . . Hawaii maybe? Or France?"

"Well, Skye is Darkstorm's charge. . . maybe she has an idea?"

Miko light-bulbed. "Of course! We can go there saying we wanted to hang out or something and then slip away and then. . . bam! Instant date."

"I don't know. . . Shouldn't we be telling them about this first?" Jack asked with trepidation.

"Nah, it'll ruin the surprise. Come on, Jack. It'll be fine."

And so, early the next morning, the children informed the 'Bots about their plan. They all eventually agreed. As Optimus said 'Bumblebee has had to grow up rather quickly due to the war. Darkstorm, as well. I believe that this outing would be beneficial to them both.'

Skybreak seemed a bit hesitant to agree to his sister and the scout having a 'date' but then he had to tell himself that the scout did make his sister happy . . . . Besides, they would be monitored in case they were attacked and if Skybreak saw any funny business, then he'd just 'bridge there and kick the scout's tailpipe. Simple as that.

And poor Jolt? He was simply disappointed that the Seeker femme was taken. 'She's already with someone?! Why didn't you tell me?' 'We tried to, mech. But ya wouldn't listen.' '. . . Really? Well, (the Vehicon grinned) I'm sure once she gets a load of me, she'll- (Jolt was soon silenced by Skybreak pounding his fists together threateningly)' 'I barely condone this. What makes you think I'll let **you **near her?' 'But I-' 'Touch her and I'll rip off your peddes and shove them down your throat tubing.' '. . . Parley?'

Miko quieted the humans down when she saw Bumblebee and Darkstorm approaching. "Hey, 'Storm. Hey, 'Bee!"

"Hello, Miko." Darkstorm slowly became suspicious however as she spotted their seemingly innocent expressions. "Is there. . . something wrong?"

"No. We were just talking about hanging out at Windermere. You guys want to join us?"

Darkstorm and Bumblebee exchanged a look. "Will the others be joining us?" Darkstorm asked.

"Er . . . no. They had to go on some mission and do . . . stuff," Raf scrambled to come up with an explanation.

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge and turned to her charge. "Is this true, Skye?"

"Eeeehhh. . . yeah. They had to go on a mission," Skye smiled. "So are you coming with us?"

"I suppose. . ."

Reluctantly, Bumblebee and Darkstorm followed the children through the ground bridge. They both stared in awe at their beautiful surroundings. Lush forest and greenery surrounded them as well as a large lake.

"It's . . beautiful," Darkstorm smiled widely.

_"Yeah," _Bumblebee agreed.

"I'm glad you two like it. This is actually where I used to live, back when me and my family still lived in England," Skye said.

"So this is England . . . Incredible." Darkstorm was so amazed by the area that she didn't notice all the children sharing a secretive look.

"Well, uh, we need to go get something real quick. You guys just stay right here," Jack said.

"And leave all of you unsupervised? I think not," Darkstorm protested.

_"Yeah . . . something about all this is fishy. What's really going on here, Raf?" _Bumblebee asked his charge.

"Nothing," Raf smiled. "We'll be back soon. You just have fun 'Bee, okay?"

"But-"

"We'll be fine, Darkstorm," Skye reassured.

"Yeah! Besides, if something happens we can just call you so you don't have to worry," Miko said before smirking. "Have fun!" She winked at the two 'Bots before leaving with the others.

When they were out of sight, Darkstorm turned to the scout. "They are up to something. You know that, don't you?"

_"Big time," _Bumblebee shook his helm. _"And it's not like Raf to be sneaky like this."_

"That's what I was thinking," Darkstorm vented, "Still. . . while we're here, we might as well enjoy ourselves." She smiled. "They did say they would be back and . . . well, I think all this is nice in a way. This place is beautiful and," she glanced downwards shyly. "now that there are no distractions, we can catch up."

_"Sounds nice," _Bumblebee smiled. _"I mean with the whole thing with Unicron and Optimus . . . we've barely had any time to talk."_

"I agree and I have been so busy with repairs and other things . . ." Darkstorm gently sat down on the ground. Bumblebee followed suite. "I've missed you, Bumblebee."

_"I've missed you too, 'Storm."_

Darkstorm smiled widely as her cooling fans subtly activated. "Things certainly have changed. My brother has finally returned, for good hopefully. We have new recruits . . . and I have a charge."

_"You two seem to be really close," _the scout observed.

"We are, though maybe that's my Seeker protocols at work. Still . . . she is such a blessing." Darkstorm smiled as Bumblebee held her servo. She vented contently and leaned into him, her helm resting comfortably on his shoulder plating. "You know, I've actually missed this."

_"Me too," _Bumblebee paused before turning to Darkstorm mischievously. _"So I take it now that Skye and you are sharing a room, that you won't be sneaking off to visit me in the middle of the night now?"_

Darkstorm rolled her optics. "That was one time and you know full well that it was only because I was having a nightmare. Besides, I'm hardly ready for a sparkmate."

Bumblebee seemed to ponder something. _"Darkstorm?"_

"Yes, 'Bee?"

_"Have you ever thought about . . . life after the war?"_

"No," Darkstorm vented. "This war has been so long . . . I'm at a loss of what I would do."

_"If the war was over, and . . . you know, we were older, do you think . . . you would want to be my sparkmate?"_

Darkstorm's spark beat rapidly and she turned to her scout with wide optics. "T-Truly?" Bumblebee nodded, his door wings fluttering nervously. "I-I would be honored . . . if you would have me," she smiled.

_"I'd be crazy not to."_

Darkstorm's cooling fans activated and she fiddled with her digits. "Imagine . . . me, being a sparkmate to someone," she chuckled before adding. "You know you'll have to ask my brother about this eventually, don't you?"

_"I'd say I'm as good as offline already," _Bumblebee laughed nervously.

"Oh come now. You are a good, honorable mech. I'm sure my brother would approve," Darkstorm smiled reassuringly.

_"Yeah riiiight," _Bumblebee rolled his optics. _"I see the way he looks at me. He wants to terminate me, I know it."_

"He wasn't always like that, you know," Darkstorm vented. "But if you are a femme in a city like Kaon . . . if you're a femme in the Decepticons, things tend to happen to you. Terrible things. Unless you're protected, that is. My brother simply wishes to protect me from harm but, he should realize that you're not like other mechs." Darkstorm glanced at Bumblebee with the fiery determination he so loved to see in her. "And my spark is mine to give to whom I will. Even if my brother does not approve, I still want to spend the rest of my life with you."

_"Ditto," _Bumblebee smiled and kissed her cheek. Darkstorm leaned back into his embrace and watched a few stray ducks fly over the lake.

"God has truly blessed me by giving me you, my beloved scout," she whispered.

* * *

The group watched as Darkstorm and Bumblebee talked from a distance, so they could plot and not be overheard while keeping an eye on them.

Skye smiled at the other kids. "I know a good place for lunch," she said in a whisper. "The owner is a friend of the family, so I should be able to get us a good table, or rather get one for them." She nodded to the 'Bots. "This restaurant also has a live band, which I'm sure I can convince to play the right music. Then, when the sun is going down, we can take a ferry to a far shore of the lake. I know a spot that will be perfect."

"You guys know how shy they get when their relationship is mentioned, so we absolutely cannot breath a word about it." Jack addressed the group, but for his last point glared at Miko. "It'll defeat the purpose and they'll be more focused on us than each other."

Everyone nodded, and Miko offered a thumbs-up. "Sounds like a plan."

They let the 'Bots sit for a little while longer, until they heard Darkstorm say something about looking for the kids and she stood up.

Skye stepped out from behind the tree they were all hiding behind. "Hey guys!" she waved to the 'Bots as she yelled. "Let's head up to the town." They looked at each other before walking up to the kids.

"What happened to 'have fun' and 'we'll be back'?" Darkstorm asked jokingly.

"We were going to be back. But then I realized there's a place in town I want to show you guys. And since you two have human forms, I figured you may as well use them."

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge. "Alright." She and Bumblebee activated their holoforms. "So . . . what is this place in town that you wish to show us?"

Skye spoke as the group made their way to Windermere. "It's a pub owned by a friend of my family's. I've been eating there . . . probably since before I could walk. No one can make a roast quite like Bernie, and half the Lake District knows it."

"A pub . . ." Darkstorm mused, not being familiar with the word. "Well, I suppose it's worth a try. What do you say, 'Bee?"

_"Sure. Why not?"_ he smiled.

"You guys will love it. One thing I miss about Windermere is the energy. There's always music playing somewhere, and more often than not, it's at Bernie's. And it's not just a recording either, he usually has local groups or aspiring musicians come in and play. And it's a good place to sit and catch up on the gossip." Skye smiled and shook her head. "Wow, I'm not totally romanticizing it at all."

"I think we all do that when talking about home," Jack replied.

"It sounds like a wonderful place, Skye, and I would love to experience something from your home," Darkstorm smiled.

"I'm certainly glad . . . because we wouldn't be able to step one foot in Windermere without Bernie finding me and dragging me in for some food anyway." She laughed as she finished.

Before anyone realized how close they were to the town, Skye led them onto a road and motioned to the nearby buildings with her hand. "My friends, welcome to Windermere."

"Wow," Raf said in awe.

"It's quite stunning, Skye," Darkstorm said as she admired the town.

"There isn't much here, a few museums, bus services, a couple boat repair shops, but it's still home. Now . . ." she scanned the buildings as they walked through the streets. "If memory serves, it should be coming up here soon. Hhmm-ah, there it is." She pointed to an old-looking stone building with a cracked wooden sign hanging above the door. It was still a ways down the street, but the smell was already starting to reach them.

Soon enough they bridged the gap, and as the group entered the pub, they were met with folk-style music presented by a pianist and violinist. The song ended, and everyone started clapping.

"Skye Shelsher!" The girl jumped as her name thundered across the restaurant. Everyone returned to their own conversations as a slightly stocky man walked up to the group, wrapping Skye in a hug when he reached her. "It's been too long, kid! How've you been?"

She laughed and hugged him back. "Good, Bernie." He released her and she looked around the pub. "Things are well, I see."

"Yea, place hasn't been the same since you left, but we've made do." He looked at the group behind Skye. "These your crew?"

She laughed as she looked at them herself. "Haven't gotten up to as much trouble as you back in the day, but they're fun."

Bernie put his arm around Skye's shoulders and leaned towards the kids. "This kid was everyone's favorite singer here back when she was little. In fact . . ."

She started to turn red. "Nooooonono."

He smirked at the others. "Wouldn't you like to see her put on a show?" They looked at each other.

"Bernie, I haven't sung since I went to America!"

"Just as well, then!" He grabbed her by the shoulders and started walking toward the other musicians. "Grab a seat anywhere!" he yelled to the rest of the group.

"Bernie, wait." She stopped him against the far wall when they were out of earshot of the others. "You see the blonde guy and the girl in the black? The rest of us are trying to make this special for them . . . as a couple, ya know?"

He looked at them, smiling deviously. "Ah hah . . . I think the boys have music for 'The Heart Asks Pleasure First' over there, that might help."

Skye's face lit up. "Really?" Bernie nodded to the musicians and she quickly walked over, still smiling. She stood in front of the piano, then turned to the pianist. "Heart Asks Pleasure First?" The young man nodded then sifted through the pages displayed above the keys.

"Ye want a mic?" He grabbed one off the end of the music stand next to him.

"Please." She accepted it, turned it on, then tested it by tapping it. "Bernie, I blame you for this." She pointed to the owner and the pub lit up with laughter. After clearing her throat, she nodded to the musicians behind her and music filled up the room.

"Silent night surrounding me on the shore of wistful sea. A kindest heart made me believe the world as I wish it to be," Skye began to sing. She felt her knees shaking horribly as she looked around the room, finally finding the table their group claimed. Her guardian smiled at her encouragingly and gestured for her to go on.

She closed her eyes momentarily, feeling her face getting hotter. "Wind in the wheat, kiss by a hearth, little hideaways for a lonely heart." She looked back at Darkstorm, smiling when she saw her holding Bumblebee's hand.

As she went on her shaking stabilized so she didn't feel like she'd collapse, but it was definitely still there. It made it better, though, thinking of this not so much as a performance on her part, albeit a reluctant one, but as a small gift for her friends. If nothing else, this would be a memory none would soon forget.

Finally, it ended. After the last notes from the piano and violin faded, they were replaced by applause as Skye bowed. She sighed, feigning grievance at Bernie, before walking away to join her table.

"Dude, that was awesome!" Miko exclaimed. "You never told us you could sing."

"What, that? It took all my concentration to get the sound out, let alone sound nice." She put her hand on her cheek. "Am I still red? I'm red, aren't I?"

"Just a little," Jack chuckled.

"Well, I think you did wonderfully, Skye," Darkstorm smiled widely. "That song . . . and your voice . . . it was just so beautiful." Bumblebee smiled and nodded in agreement.

Skye shook her head and re-adjusted herself in her seat. "Nah, I haven't sung like that since I left. Speaking of which," She turned her head, then waved Bernie over when she found him. "I expect a fine roast after that."

Bernie came over, putting a hand on her shoulder. "On its way, kid."

And Skye's friends found that no one truly can make a roast quite like Bernie. "Human food never ceases to surprise me," Darkstorm muttered before stuffing her mouth full.

Bumblebee chuckled quietly at her enthusiasm and handed her a napkin. _"Slow down there, tiger. There's plenty of food to go around," _he whispered so as not to draw attention to his odd vocal patterns.

"Sorry," Darkstorm said sheepishly. "I'm just not used to anything like this, I suppose." Her eyes met his as she took the piece of cloth from him and she smiled, blushing subtly. Jack shot Miko a warning look as she looked about to squeal and exclaim something that would embarrass the two 'Bots.

"You were right. This is really good, Skye," Raf smiled.

"Yup. No one can make them quite like Bernie," Skye grinned. She waited until everyone was finished before announcing to Darkstorm and Bumblebee where they planned to go next. "So . . . I was thinking after this we head over to the lake. I know a ferry that can take us over to a spot that's really beautiful this time of day."

"Well, everything you've suggested has been rather fun so far. I say let's do it," Darkstorm agreed. As they were leaving the pub, Bernie caught Skye into another hug.

"It was good to see you again. But don't wait so long between visits, eh?"

"I'll try, Bernie," Skye chuckled.

They all said their goodbyes and Skye lead them back towards the lake where several weather-beaten boats were docked. Skye went up to a particularly small boat and whispered a few things to the ferryman. What, Bumblebee and Darkstorm weren't exactly sure but, they didn't ask any questions.

The humans and 'Bots filed onto the ferry and the boat slowly made its descent to the far side of the lake. Darkstorm smiled softly as she saw Earth's sun paint colors across the steadily darkening sky. The sunsets here certainly were more spectacular than they were on Cybertron. The water reflected the extravagant colors of the sky until they eventually faded away. Night had fallen. The stars shone brightly and the only noises that reached her ears were the occasional chirp from a cricket and the soft conversations of the human children. Darkstorm blushed as she felt Bumblebee move closer to her.

"It's stunning, isn't it?" she asked softly. The scout smiled and nodded in silent agreement. His hand found hers once more in the darkness and the Seeker sighed contently. "This certainly has been quite an outing . . . I've never done anything like this before." Bumblebee shook his head, signaling that he hadn't either. Darkstorm understood. The human would become suspicious if Bumblebee spoke since the boat was small but, it was fine this way. Darkstorm had learned to read Bumblebee over the vast amount of time they spent together. Even the smallest action he made spoke to her.

Blue eyes met concealed red and Darkstorm felt so much just from that one gaze. Love.

He truly loved her. He loved her so much that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Imagine, a compassionate, loyal, considerate Autobot scout wanting to associate with a former Decepticon. One who had done terrible things while under that banner. But in that gaze Darkstorm knew that he didn't care. He never truly did. He accepted her even with all her flaws and insecurities and she knew he would protect her, even to the end. Likewise, she would give her very life to protect him, for he had to be one of the best things that has ever happened to her.

She truly loved him. She loved him so much that she was willing to give her own life to protect him and his charge from Megatron. The very thought still baffled the young scout. What had he ever done to deserve someone like her? A sweet, kind, intelligent, and strong femme who loved him even despite his disability. Bumblebee gently took off her sunglasses and saw in her eyes that she never cared about that. To her, he was some knight in shining armor, not a reckless, immature youngling who couldn't even properly speak. And she said yes . . . She was willing to spend the rest of her life with him. Bumblebee honestly couldn't believe his luck . . . The human Primus must have had a hand in this for Darkstorm . . . she was his angel.

"Bumblebee?" Darkstorm whispered but she was stopped as Bumblebee leaned over and kissed her. Her heart hammered within her holoform's chest and immediately all thoughts of the children possibly watching or other such insecurities left her mind. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned it.

The two soon pulled away. Darkstorm felt her spirits soar as if she had drank an entire case of high grade. She felt her cheeks grow warm and she smiled widely when Bumblebee placed an arm around her shoulders. The two sat there contently, staring at the picturesque lake and sky, until the boat traveled back to shore.

The humans pretended that they saw nothing as they stepped out of the boat. "So, how did you two like it?" Skye asked innocently.

"I loved it, Skye. Thank you," Darkstorm smiled.

Her charge smiled back and gave her guardian a hug. "You're welcome, Darkstorm." Darkstorm happily returned the embrace.

"Now, I suggest we all head back to base. It's getting rather late," Darkstorm looked at Raf pointedly, "and I know it's far past your bedtime, Raf."

"O-Okay," Raf yawned. Bumblebee chuckled and commed the Autobot base as they walked back into a dense part of the woods so the ground bridge wouldn't be detected. A few moments later the bridge appeared and they all entered it, Bumblebee and Darkstorm deactivating their holoforms.

"So, how'd it go?" Bulkhead asked, a subtle smirk forming across his facial plating.

"Awesome, Bulk'," Miko grinned and gave her guardian a thumbs-up.

Bumblebee raised an optic ridge but quickly hid it. He was beginning to figure out what went on. _"Come on, Raf. Your mom will kill me if I get you home late again."_

"And that truly would be a sticky situation," Darkstorm giggled before smiling at Raf. "Goodnight, my dear youngling. We'll see you tomorrow." Raf smiled groggily and waved goodbye as Bumblebee transformed and drove towards his home. Likewise, Bulkhead and Arcee also transformed and took their charges home. The base was fairly quiet then. Optimus, Drift, Jolt, and Shiv were already in their quarters and Ratchet was monitoring the base's computer, though Darkstorm knew he too would go to recharge soon. She smiled as she saw her brother come up to her.

"So, I take it everything went well?" he asked.

"Yes, Brother. Everything went just fine . . . You know, it's a shame no one else came with us. You would have loved it there. The sky is absolutely stunning at night."

"I can imagine," Skybreak chuckled. "Well, I'd better go recharge. Goodnight, Darkstorm." He paused before looking down at Skye who had followed her guardian closely. "Goodnight, Skye."

" 'Night, Skybreak," Skye smiled.

The large red and black Seeker left to go to his own quarters before Skye and Darkstorm entered theirs. Darkstorm gently picked up her charge and carefully maneuvered herself to a comfortable position where her wings weren't irritated. She then placed her charge on her little spot on the berth where her pillows and blankets were located.

"Thank you, Skye . . . for everything. That truly was an enjoyable experience for all of us."

"You're welcome," Skye smiled softly before yawning.

"Goodnight," Darkstorm whispered.

"Goodnight," Skye whispered back before falling asleep. Darkstorm studied her a few moments more before bringing a digit to her lips and softly placing the digit on Skye's forehead.

"I love you, Skye," Darkstorm murmured before she too fell asleep.

**A/N: *sniff* Oh my gosh . . . All the feelings in this chapter, I just . . . It's beautiful. I mean, I'm usually not into this mushy stuff but dyang. Teh feels! *blows my nose* Ahem. Anyway, we wish to thank all the reviewers and the lovely folks who have favorited and followed this story. We love all of you. And, remember, God's love for us can transcend what mere human men and women can give. People can break our hearts and betray and reject us but God never can. He loves us unconditionally despite what we may have done. He gave His only son for us so that we could spend eternity with Him . . . there is no love that is greater than that. **

**A/N: We not only give feels, but a bucketload of fluffy feels! Hope you guys enjoyed them as much as we did-Dream writing them, me coming back from watching Planes and squeeing while reading them (hey, just 'cause I coauthor doesn't mean I can't spaz and fangirl with the best of 'em). I hope to have some new artworks coming for this fic sometime as well ^^ but I'm getting off-topic. As Dream'sRealm said, we love and appreciate you all and your love and support :3 And give cookies to you awesome peoples *laaa***

**Theme Song: One Drop- Plumb**

**"May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." Ephesians 3: 19. **

**God bless each and every one of you!**

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Four**

**Disclaimer: All rights to Transformers Prime and its canon characters belong to Hasbro and the Hub. Dream'sRealm owns Shiv, Drift, Jolt, Darkstorm, and Skybreak. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher.**

Skye yawned, stretching as she rolled over onto her back. Her hands touched metal and her mind went blank. Where was she? Autobots, quarters, Windermere . . . ah that's right, she was in Darkstorm's quarters. She sat up and rubbed her eyes as she looked around the empty room. Darkstorm must already be awake, she thought before standing.

She walked to the edge, then smiled at what she saw. Several box-like objects were stacked in such a manner that she could easily climb down rather than jumping off the side. Once she reached the floor, she grabbed her bag and quickly changed-a skill she'd learned to keep people from seeing her leg while changing.

The door was open just enough for her to get through and make her way to the main area.

" 'Morning," she called into the room, but as she entered she saw it was unusually empty. Skye looked at her watch and saw it was only eight in the morning-not that early at all. So where was everyone?

"Good morning, Skye," a soft voice eventually answered. "I am sorry I could not be there to greet you when you awakened, but the others went on a mission and my services were needed."

Skye rubbed her eyes. "No problem. I could have easily slept in late." She climbed the ladder to the taller platform. "So what're the guys up to?"

"They are currently tracking the location of an Iacon relic, a very powerful weapon judging from the Decepticons' interest in it," Darkstorm answered.

"Iacon? Like, where Ratchet said Optimus used to work?"

"The very same. Before the war, dangerous weapons and relics were stored in Iacon to prevent those who would do harm from getting their servos on them. Unfortunately, due to Megatron's desolation of that city, many of them were lost to the stars. In this case, Megatron has found one on your planet, Earth."

"That's crazy. To think that this relic landed on the same planet you all found?" Skye shook her head. "Guess it's a small universe."

"Well, believe it or not, Cybertronians have visited this planet before as seen when we discovered that Unicron was dwelling on this planet. Earth also used to be a refuge for rogue Autobots until Megatron sent his sentries . . . No more Autobots came to your planet until recently, when Optimus discovered that your planet had an ample supply of energon," Darkstorm vented. "Unfortunately, Megatron himself had to follow and bring all humans into this pit-spawned war."

Skye smiled. "To think, people think of aliens as these strange creatures with green skin that will kidnap cattle and make a big deal of their landing. When in reality, your presence is probably the world's best kept secret."

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge at the thought of green Cybertronians kidnapping earth cattle. What in the world do humans think they would do with them? "Well, of course. The less humans that know about us, the less that will be harmed."

"And that's safer for you all. Just think, if the world, or even if just one person knew about you who went on the internet and revealed your location, the Decepticons could find out."

Darkstorm shuddered slightly at the thought of the Decepticons ever finding their base. They would most likely call in an aerial strike which would give them a distinct advantage and she was afraid . . . She feared if they would get out in time. "Indeed and that would truly be a dire situation."

Skye sat on the rail. "We could bridge out though, right? Then when they fired, it could destroy the bridge and they wouldn't know where we are. Or we could rig some sort of remote, so once we're through we can close it."

"I suppose but all that would be useless if the Decepticons took us by surprise. I know how their battle strategies work. They would give us no warning, no time to prepare an escape before they laid this base to ruin."

Skye's eyes widened. "They're really that ruthlesss? I mean, w-what if there were innocents, like the kids?"

"The Decepticons are that ruthless. They would not care if there were innocents here. They would destroy without any scruples, without any mercy," Darkstorm's optics filled with pain. "They let nothing and no one stand in their way. . ."

Skye dropped her gaze to the floor. "We've had many such groups in Earth's history. About seventy years ago, there was a man with a vision to take over the world with one, "perfect" race. He gained a following by claiming he would restore his country's glory . . . shortly before he started sweeping across the continent, locking those who weren't a part of this race in horrible, nightmarish concentration camps and mowing down the resistance."

"Sounds a bit like Megatron . . . You know, the more and more I learn about humans, the more and more I realize that we aren't so different after all."

Skye shrugged. "I guess some things transcend physical appearance."

"So it would seem," Darkstorm smiled before pausing as she received a request for a ground bridge. She opened a ground bridge and her team filed through. She quickly observed that Bumblebee seemed more excited than usual.

_"Darkstorm! You'll never guess what happened!"_ he beeped rapidly. _"I did it. I actually did it! I stole the spark extractor right from Megatron's servo."_

"Truly?" she grinned. "Well, this is a cause for celebration then. How did you manage to steal it from him?"

"Ol' 'Bee raced through the Decepticon ground bridge and took it from Megatron," Bulkhead said while patting Bumblebee on the back. "And then before he was any wiser, he corkscrewed right out of there."

Skybreak rolled his optics as Bumblebee continued to brag. _"He tried to hold me back but luckily, I got away in time. And I totally stuck the landing!"_ Bumblebee attempted to replicate his aerial racing maneuver but Ratchet stopped him.

"Bumblebee, if you break any of my tools, you're going to spend the rest of this stellar cycle in the med bay," the medic warned the scout gravely.

Bumblebee deflated slightly but agreed. _"Oh, alright. . ."_

"Well, I think that's positively extraordinary, 'Bee," Darkstorm giggled.

"I so wish I could've been there!" Skye brought her hands together in front of her heart, imagining riding inside a car that did a corkscrew maneuver, let alone an event so exciting as the group explained.

"I concur. No one can match your skill, 'Bee. Not even the professionals on Velocitron," Darkstorm said. Bumblebee glowed with pride.

_"T-Thanks, 'Storm."_

"Careful, scout. You might dislodge a tire by patting yourself too hard on the back," Skybreak said before walking away. Darkstorm glared at her brother before turning back to Bumblebee.

"I am sure my brother is just as proud of you as we are. He . . . just has a funny way of showing it," Darkstorm reassured.

The slightly tense situation was eased when Arcee turned to Optimus. "Optimus, do you remember any other coordinates where Iacon relics might be?"

"Unfortunately, I do not," Optimus vented.

"Optimus, you were not yourself during your time on the Nemesis. Megatron is only doing this to play havoc with your psyche, but you cannot let him. We will find the relics before he does and prevent him from using them for his dastardly purposes," Ratchet said.

"On the bright side," Skye motioned to the relic. "We already have one on Megatron. Just keep monitoring Decepticon movement and we're bound to get the others." She smiled shyly at Optimus.

"Perhaps," Optimus smiled down at Skye. "Let us hope however that we are able to get to them first."

Later that day, as predicted, Decepticon activity was detected. Bulkhead and Bumblebee were ordered to scout out the area and Skye offered to tag along. Darkstorm immediately wished to follow but Bumblebee assured her that it was just a scouting mission. It was highly unlikely that Skye would be in any danger and besides, Darkstorm was needed along with the rest of the team where the real action was. With that thought, Darkstorm eventually agreed and joined the others.

Skye bounced slightly in the passenger seat as Bumblebee scouted the area, using a built-in scanner to locate other relics or strange signals. She was just happy to be along for the ride.

"Thanks for letting me come," she said, smiling as they hits bumps in the road at high speed. "I guess I can find a spot to hide if anything happens."

_"Of course. You're welcome, Skye."_

She still couldn't understand him, but somehow from the tone of the beeps, she could assume that his reply was friendly.

She slumped slightly as she sighed. "I'm sorry I can't understand you like Raf does. Especially considering how close you are to my guardian." She looked at the dash, not knowing where to look exactly to have eye contact. "But I do understand having a . . . disability? that others have trouble understanding."

Bumblebee was silent for a few minutes before asking, _"Really?"_

"Hey . . . can your display here show text?"

_"No . . . I'm sorry,"_ Bumblebee vented. _"Times like this when I wish I had my voice back . . ."_

"I take that as a no . . ." She looked out the window again and was silent for a moment before smiling. "It was nice seeing you and Darkstorm yesterday. She seemed a bit stressed with the whole situation when I first showed up, then she had to fix everyone up. It was good that she finally had time to let her hair down-erm, relax."

Bumblebee internally smiled at the thought of yesterday. _"Yeah, it was nice seeing her so happy . . . Thanks for doing that for us, by the way."_

Skye recognized that beeping . . . it sounded the same every time he said something to Darkstorm, to which she replied that he was welcome. Was he thanking her? "Eehh . . . welcome?" She shrugged shyly as she spoke, not certain she was right. "Wait," she pointed to the screen, an orange circle in the upper right hand corner. "What's that?"

_"Not sure. Bulk, you getting this?"_

"Yeah, 'Bee. Let's go check it out. It might be another relic," Bulkhead commed. The all-terrain vehicle and the Urbana 500 altered their course so that they were traveling towards the mysterious energy signal. When they reached it, Bulkhead transformed while Bumblebee opened one of his doors, giving Skye the chance to get out before he too transformed. The two Autobots activated their weapon systems and Skye followed.

There was some blinking device on a boulder a short ways away. Skye couldn't see what it was, but she did see another boulder close to it that she decided to hide behind when they got closer.

"I'll go check the area for 'Cons. You secure the relic," Bulkhead said before walking away. Bumblebee moved towards the so-called relic cautiously and studied it. After close scrutiny, he realized it wasn't Cybertronian at all.

"Skye, stay back," he said while motioning with his servo for her to stay behind the boulder, making sure that she got the message. Bumblebee moved to touch it but was shocked with volts of electricity. His frame shuddered violently as he slumped downwards, his optics eventually offlining.

Skye's eyes widened as she saw a group of men in militaristic armor approach Bumblebee, all sporting weapons. One man approached his left side, the others standing behind the man. Sparks flew as a device cut into Bumblebee's armor.

"Bumblebee!" Against her better judgment, Skye stepped out from behind the boulder. She started running towards the man cutting into the 'Bot's armor. "Get away from him!"

She was intercepted by another man who grabbed her left arm. She tried to yank it away, to no avail, before punching at his face with her free hand. He easily blocked it before grabbing that arm as well. She resorted to kicking him, making sure the widest, strongest part of her prosthetic hit the man's knee. He grunted and she managed to pull away as he knelt on that knee.

Someone else grabbed her again, this time holding both arms from behind. She tried stomping the man's foot-which was guarded by steel-toed combat boots-and kicking at him, as awkward as the angle was.

One man, the only one not wearing a mask, approached them. He smiled as he watched Skye struggle. She soon ran out of energy, panting as she stood in place, the man behind her still holding her arms.

"Well well, what brings a kid like you to such an isolated part of the desert?" He seemed amused as he looked down at her.

"What do you want with Bumblebee?" She put all the malice she could in her voice and expression as she looked between the 'Bot and the scarred man.

"Ah, 'Bumblebee' is it?"

"Don't you ignore me! Tell me what you want!"

The first man who tried to grab her limped up to the scarred man. "What's the matter with you?" the latter asked.

"Her leg, sir, it's . . ."

The scarred man looked to her leg for a moment before nodding slightly to the man holding her. He pushed her forward, forcing her to fall onto her knees, though his grip kept her from falling on her face. He quickly switched his grip, one arm grabbing a hold of her two behind her back. She heard a blade unsheath. Her heart rate shot up as she struggled to get away, to no effect.

Despite the movement, the blade found its target, slicing the pant leg on her lower right leg, revealing the metal. The scarred man, who must've been their leader, moved to her right side and examined it.

"A prosthetic. Unremarkable unless modified, but still worth a look."

"Silas," one man came up to him, holding a scanner of some sort. "The other signal is coming back."

"How's our progress on-"

"Done." The man who had been with Bumblebee held up a device, undoubtedly one he'd stolen from the downed mech.

"Excellent." Silas smiled, then looked to the girl. "Let's get out of here."

She struggled as she was pulled to her feet and forced to walk back the way the men had come from. She turned her head at the sound of an engine, and saw Bulkhead drive around the corner.

"I don't think so!" She bent down to the left, then quickly twisted to the right, her momentum allowing her to get to the side of the man holding her. She raised her leg as high as it would go, grunting as she felt it impact with the middle of his thigh. The surprise allowed her a free left arm, which she used to punch the man in the face. It probably hurt her a lot more than it hurt him, but she still managed to get her right arm free and run away. Seeing Bulkhead approach, the armed men retreated in their helicopter.

Bumblebee groggily got up as Bulkhead and Skye approached. The green Wrecker was so concerned about his comrade that he didn't even notice Skye's revealed robotic prosthetic. _"Ugh. . . what happened?"_

Skye shakily pointed to where their chopper had landed. "Some men, they . . ." she gulped. "They . . . took something from you . . ."

_"Took something from me? But I feel fine,"_ Bumblebee said, confused.

"Still, we'd better get you back to Ratchet and 'Storm so they can take a look at you," Bulkhead said before transforming. Bumblebee was about to do the same before he realized that something was wrong. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't transform.

His blue optics widened. _"My T-Cog . . . It's gone."_

When the scouting team finally reached the base, Darkstorm and Ratchet only confirmed the scout's worst fears. MECH had stolen Bumblebee's T-Cog and with it, his ability to transform or use any of his integrated weapon systems.

Bumblebee slowly left his berth, angry and frustrated at his inability to have done anything to prevent those humans from stealing from him. Was it not enough that Megatron took his voice? Would his T-Cog be forever lost to him as well? _"Optimus, there must be something I can do-"_

Optimus stopped him with an outstretched servo. "Bumblebee, please. You are not presently equipped to handle this."

Bumblebee exhaled angrily. _"You don't know what it's like to lose a part of you! I have to help you get it back. There has to be something around here that I'm still good for."_

"You are mistaken, my friend. I do know what it's like to lose a vital part of oneself and, as a result, I know the importance of trusting those around you. I vow that we will do everything in our power to make you whole again," Optimus continued gently.

"And if not, Ratchet can just make him a new Cog thing, right?" Miko asked.

Bumblebee buried his helm in his servos and sank back onto the berth. Darkstorm placed a servo on his shoulder plating, her spark breaking for her scout. She could only imagine how hard it must be for him. . .

"What? What'd I say?"

"Miko, a T-Cog is a bio-mechanism, not a scrap yard find. If it were that easy, don't you think I would have replaced Bumblebee's voice box a long time ago?" Ratchet retorted.

Bumblebee's door wings lowered sadly. _"I . . . I really am useless."_

"You're not useless, 'Bee," Raf said.

Everyone turned their heads at the loud crashing sound of a metal bucket being kicked, its contents banging each other as it fell over. They watched as Skye stormed down the hall towards Darkstorm's quarters, her now mostly-empty bag with her gadgets and tools on her back.

Darkstorm ran after her charge, wondering what on earth she was up to. "Skye, what's wrong?"

"I just need some time alone," she replied, her tone frustrated, but somehow it didn't seem like said frustration was directed at Darkstorm, rather something else entirely.

"Some time alone? Why? . . . Did something happen during the mission?" Darkstorm asked, worried.

"I-I just . . ." her voice was slightly shaky. "Want to be alone for a while."

Darkstorm looked saddened for a few moments but she nodded her helm in compliance to her charge's wishes. "Very well. If you wish to be alone, then I shall honor your request . . . But if you decide that you're ready to talk, I'll be here."

Skye turned her head slightly towards her guardian as she continued to walk. "Thank you." She turned her attention back to the corridor. Darkstorm watched her charge as she continued to walk before venting and turning away. She saw Bumblebee walking towards his own quarters and went towards him. The young scout always did help her feel better at times like these.

"Bee?" she asked. The scout didn't even turn or acknowledge her. Darkstorm's optical ridges furrowed in frustration as she tried again. "Bee? Are you alright?"

The Seeker back-pedalled as the scout turned and glared at her. His gaze softened, if only slightly, however as he saw her disconcerted state. _"No. . . I'm not alright."_

"Bee, I know how hard it can be to feel helpless. . . But you must understand, we-" Darkstorm began softly before she was cut off.

His facial plating hardened once more. _"No! No, that's just the point. You don't understand! None of you do! You just stand there and say, 'Oh, I understand' or 'Everything will be just fine'. Well, it's not! My T-Cog is gone, and I'll probably never get it back!"_

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component before saying, "Don't say that. You have to have hope. Your T-Cog will be restored but until then, you need to trust us."

_"That's just another way of saying I never will."_ Darkstorm outstretched a servo, trying to comfort the scout but he brushed it aside. _"I don't need your pity,"_ he hissed before slamming the door to his quarters behind him.

Darkstorm stood in the hallway, her wings slowly drooping and her optics filling with coolant. Before she knew what she was doing, she was running out of the missile silo and taking to the sky. She didn't hear the childrens' or 'Bots' protests. She didn't even hear her brother following her. All she could hear was the argument that had just occurred. She knew that he was only speaking out of a broken spark and that he needed space just like her charge . . . but it still hurt all the same. If only she had gone with them. She could have prevented this from happening. She'd failed him. She'd failed both of them.

"Darkstorm!" her brother called. She ignored him and instead flew faster. This only made her brother's determination grow. The Lockheed U2 tried to outrun the F-16 but was stopped when the latter swooped over her and landed right in her path. Before Darkstorm could maneuver away, she collided with her brother. The two jets descended erratically before landing roughly in the desert below them.

"Darkstorm, what the slag is wrong with you?!" her brother demanded.

"What's wrong with me? I didn't nearly get us both offlined with that stunt you pulled," Darkstorm replied while brushing dirt and rubble off of her frame. "Why on earth were you following me anyway?"

"I saw you run out of the base and. . . you looked upset. As your brother, I'm supposed to help you when you're upset."

Darkstorm looked at her brother sadly before venting. "It's nothing. I just needed a flight to clear my helm, that's all." Darkstorm turned around before Skybreak pulled her back to him. The femme Seeker looked away, trying to prevent her brother from seeing how upset she truly was but he saw right through that.

"Storm. . ." he whispered, gently tilted her facial plating upwards. His optical ridges furrowed worriedly as he saw coolant running out of her optics. "Care to tell me what happened?"

"I-I. . ." she choked out but found she could not say anything more. Her throat tubing was thick due to her crying. Skybreak said nothing as he pulled her into an embrace. His sister happily returned it, her frame shuddering.

"It must have been a lot to make you this upset," Skybreak said. "Tell me, did the scout have anything to do with this?"

Due to his sister's renewed tears, Skybreak took that as a yes. His spark burned with anger at the thought of the Autobot reducing his sister to tears. Oh, he would definitely have a serious talk with him about this later. . . Darkstorm may beg and plead for him to let this go but he wouldn't. She was his sister, slaggit, and he wouldn't stand for this.

"This is all my fault, Sky. If I had been there, this wouldn't have happened. I've failed-" Darkstorm whispered once she had calmed down.

"Now, you listen to me, Sister. You did not fail; You quit with that scrap. That scout is obviously the one at fault here, not you. I know he lost his T-Cog. Pit, I'd be upset too but he should never have taken it out on you," Skybreak protested adamantly.

"But perhaps, I pushed him too hard. I should have seen him going to his quarters and realized that he needed space. . ." she sniffed.

"Storm. . ." Skybreak vented. "There comes a point when you become too responsible. You need to accept that you are not to blame for this. You were only trying to use that compassionate spark of yours to help him."

Darkstorm smiled weakly. "So I was. . ."

"And the fragger should have known better," Skybreak paused before adding. "I saw you with Skye. I know you were already on edge due to your charge. . . The scout should have known that you were already upset. But, 'Storm, please realize that this isn't your fault. I know he hurt you." He muttered, "And I'm going to make him pay dearly for that later. . ." He resumed his normal tone. "But you need to brush it off. I know you're strong, Sister. You always were. Don't let one glitchhead mech change that."

Darkstorm smiled wider, though she inwardly feared for her scout's safety. "I-I. . . I shall try."

"Good," Skybreak grinned, happy that he managed to make his sister feel better. "Now. . . since we're already out here, why don't we relive some of the glory days?"

"The-?" was all Darkstorm managed to get out before Skybreak placed a servo on her shoulder plating and took to the sky.

"You're it!"

"Oh, so this is how it's going to be? Well, I recall always winning this game when we were younglings, Brother," Darkstorm smirked and also transformed. "Ready or not, here I come!"

* * *

Skye rested her head on her arm on the makeshift desk, the stunner in her hand. She felt horrible . . . she should have explained what happened. Now Darkstorm probably thought Skye was mad at her . . . like every other time she told her friends she "needed space." And her feeling of dread and guilt was amplified by the fatigue brought on by the tears.

Well, at least one problem was taken care of. She looked to the device mounted on her arm and pressed the button, only the tiniest bit satisfied with the sparkless, silent, finally working stunner.

She looked at the door as it opened, and Darkstorm entered the quarters. She lazily smiled and waved the stunner in the air in the same manner. "I fixed it." Her smile and arm dropped. "There's still something else I need to fix though."

Skye stood, her hands fidgeting as she looked at her feet. "I'm sorry if it seemed like I was mad at you earlier." She looked up at her guardian. "I wasn't angry with you at all. It was me . . . Bumblebee was out and Bulkhead was gone, so neither one of them knows that," she sighed. "That I saw it all. And I tried to stop it, but they all had body armor and guns . . ." She felt the lump in her throat rising again. "I couldn't do anything to help him, Darkstorm. I couldn't do anything but watch, much as I tried."

She held up her arm with the stunner. "But never again. Never again will I be forced to watch my friends fight and struggle and be unable to do anything. I have these devices, I should use them."

"I am glad that you managed to get it to work but. . . as a wise mech once told me, there comes a point when you become too responsible. There was nothing you could have done at the time and I believe we must both accept that but we can do something now," Darkstorm smiled. "We should look towards the future instead of dwelling on the failures of the past. I know you did all that you could, Skye, and I'm sure Bumblebee knows that too."

"I just-" she put her hand over her mouth then sighed. "It's one thing to wish I'd been there and fantasized about how I could have helped him. It's another to have tried and watched . . . and to have felt the sheer patheticness as I tried to fight and it was all I could do to escape in one piece. And knowing Bumblebee didn't."

Darkstorm vented. "Believe me, I've felt that before. But Bumblebee will get his T-Cog back, and MECH will pay for their crimes against Cybertronians. Of that, I can assure you."

Skye activated the stunner on her arm, creating a short burst of electricity. "I know it's all we can do right now, but saying they will pay doesn't feel good enough. I want to make them pay now, personally. Make them feel the fear Bumblebee and I did."

Darkstorm studied her charge for a few moments. "Skye, there is a fine line between justice and revenge. There's nothing I would like more than to see them strapped to a medical berth. . . to have them butchered just like they attempted to do with Breakdown and my scout. But that would make me no better than Megatron and that is something I do not want, for me or for you."

"I know that, Darkstorm, and I wouldn't want to do anything cruel or unusual-I probably won't do anything at all. But I would only want them to know they can't mess with us, Autobot . . . or human. Just because I'm small or I'm a girl or because I have a fancy leg they want to take a look at doesn't mean I'm any less of a fighter than you or Bumblebee." Skye stopped and sharply sighed, realizing she was ranting again. "Darkstorm, they . . . they wanted to take me as well as Bumblebee's T-Cog."

Darkstorm's optics widened and she turned to her charge, concerned. "They wished to take you with them?"

Skye averted her gaze. Now you've done it, Skye, she thought. Now you'll never leave the base. "I apparently kick a little better than I thought. I kinda did a number on a guy's knee, they saw it was robotic, said they wanted to take a closer look. I managed to escape when they were leaving." She looked at Darkstorm again. "And that's what I mean about being a fighter! I don't want to be stuck indoors where it's safe, or stuck making devices in a room where they'll never be used. I want to fight, to help. Especially now that humans are taking on my 'Bots."

Darkstorm offlined her optics momentarily. Skye was indeed of a legal age to make her own choices on this world and. . . it was every sentient being's freedom to fight for those that they loved. Darkstorm knew she could not refuse. However, she knew it would take a great deal of convincing to get Optimus to agree with her decision. "If you wish to fight, I will let you but I must remind you that you are my responsibility. . . and I could not bear it if you were injured. . . or if you died."

Skye walked up to Darkstorm's pedde and hugged it, or as best she could. "Don't worry, I won't go all gung-ho and run off on every mission. And I will respect your judgment, as my guardian, if you deem a mission too dangerous. But ditto. In fact, you're my responsibility too."

Darkstorm smiled and covered Skye gently with her servo as if returning the embrace. "Truly? I'm your responsibility too?"

"Of course! If you get yourself injured, it'll be my job to lecture you about being more careful. And to buff out dents. Or however that works."

"Sounds like a plan," Darkstorm giggled and smiled. "Thank you, Skye, for caring about me so much."

Skye sighed. "And you, Darkstorm, for being the best friend I've ever had."

"Of course . . ." Darkstorm glanced down at her charge fondly. "I was all too happy to help."

The two femmes were interrupted when they heard a deep cough coming from the doorway. Skybreak and a very guilty-looking Bumblebee stood before them. "Bee?" Darkstorm asked softly. "What are you doing here?"

The young scout fiddled with his digits before Skybreak roughly pushed him forward. Bumblebee let out a hiss of static akin to a sigh and walked up to Darkstorm._ "Storm, I'm-"_

"Make it good, scout," Skybreak glared. "For your sake, she and I better be impressed before this is over."

Darkstorm glanced at Bumblebee sympathetically. Her brother's intentions were good but. . . he always went about them the wrong way. "Bee, you don't have to-"

_"No, I think I do. Look, 'Storm. . . I'm really sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have taken out my frustrations out on you. I was just so angry. . . I've already lost my voice box. . . I just didn't want to lose my T-Cog. Without it, I'm useless. I can't help my team. . . I can't protect you,_" Bumblebee vented softly, _"But I was wrong in yelling at you and pushing you away like that. . . 'Storm, can you ever forgive me?"_

Darkstorm smiled and nodded, embracing Bumblebee. "I understand. You've lost a vital part of yourself, my beloved scout, but I promise you, we shall get it back. You have not given up on me in the past and I certainly won't give up on you now. . . but you have to remember that you're not useless. Even without your voice box and T-Cog, you are worth so much in my optics. Never forget that."

_"I know,"_ Bumblebee smiled. _"I'm lucky to have a femme like you."_ He kissed her cheek and her cooling fans activated.

Skye smirked at Skybreak, her arms crossed. "Well, based on Darkstorm's response I think I'm convinced."

"As am I. But just one more thing," Skybreak walked towards the scout and lifted him up by a door wing, making sure they made optic contact. "I'd be careful what I say from now on. Because if she comes to me and I find out that scrap like this happened again, I won't be so humane." Skybreak smirked and dropped the scout before turning to Darkstorm and Skye with a grin. "Goodnight, you two!" he exclaimed before leaving his sister's quarters.

Darkstorm helped Bumblebee shakily get up. "Let me guess, he barged into your quarters and made you under pain of death apologize to me?" she smiled wryly.

_"Pretty much."_

Darkstorm giggled. "That would be my brother alright. . ." she kissed his cheek. "But thank you for apologizing."

_"I'm just sorry I hurt you, 'Storm. Skybreak told me what happened and I-"_ Bumblebee vented. _"I'm so sorry."_

"Hey. That is over and done with. I have forgiven you, 'Bee, and I still love you," Darkstorm smiled. "There's no need to be carrying on. Now, I suggest you say goodbye to Raf before it gets too late. He must be worried sick by now."

Bumblebee smiled and nodded. He paused however before exiting the room. _"I love you, 'Storm."_

Darkstorm's cooling fans activated loudly. "I love you too, 'Bee." She waved goodbye as the scout raced off to find his charge.

"Wait, Bumblebee!" Skye ran out of Darkstorm's quarters, hoping to catch him before he got too far. Bumblebee turned around, hearing someone call his name, and saw Skye. His helm tilted to the side curiously, wondering what she wanted.

"I, um . . . have to apologize. For two things, I guess. Back there, when you told me to stay hidden . . ." she hung and shook her head. "I didn't. When they started . . . well, after they knocked you out I tried to stop them. So I'm sorry for not heeding your warning. And two . . . I'm so sorry that I couldn't- stop it, that is. I was powerless to do anything but watch, and I feel terrible for that."

Bumblebee smiled gently and bent down to Skye's level. _"Skye, I know you tried and that's all that matters. There was very little you could have done but thank you for trying to protect me. There's no need to apologize."_

She smiled shyly at the scout. "You're probably trying to make me feel better, aren't you?" She saw a smile in his eyes. "Well, I probably won't for some time. I just wanted you to know . . . that I tried? That I didn't just stand around? I don't even know. I just know I wanted you to."

Bumblebee nodded and smiled once more, trying to make Skye see that he understood. She returned the gesture.

"So, I guess goodnight then." She turned and went back to Darkstorm's quarters.

Darkstorm smiled, seeing her charge return. "And what was that about?"

She shrugged back and smiled. "Eh, just clearing the air. So." She twisted her upper body before placing a hand on her back. "I rather like bunking here and all, but your bed isn't exactly the most comfortable. My back is threatening to start a strike."

"Hmm. . . I suppose you're right. I shall ask Agent Fowler if he can ship in a more suitable berth for you."

"Oh, thank you. Tell him I can pay him for it if I need to. I certainly have the money."

"I am sure that will not be required, but I shall ask him about payment as well," Darkstorm smiled.

"Thanks," Skye yawned. Despite the slightly uncomfortable berth, she was tired and Darkstorm knew she would fall into recharge soon.

"Well, we'd both better get some recharge while we can. With aiding Bumblebee in recovering his T-Cog and seizing Iacon relics before the Decepticons, we'll have our servos full." Darkstorm stretched before curling onto her side. Soon, both the Seeker and her charge were deep in recharge, anticipating what might come in the future.

* * *

"But Optimus, she is of the legal age to make her own decisions. . . An adult, if you will. Is it not her right to fight for those she cares for?" Darkstorm argued.

"While that may be true, we cannot place any human in danger, Darkstorm," Optimus replied.

"You let Special Agent William Fowler aide us. There is no difference between him and Skye. They are both adults who want to fight for their planet, friends, and family."

Optimus vented before turning to Skye. "And you wish for this, Skye? You wish to aide us on the battlefield?"

Skye looked at the Prime with confidence. "I do, Optimus. I will respect orders and your judgment, but you fight everyday for my planet. The least I can do is help. And I can make equipment that will keep me safe."

"And, as you are aware, I have been appointed as Skye's guardian. I will do everything in my power to keep her safe. You have my word, Optimus."

Optimus dwelt upon this for a few moments. "Very well. If you wish to fight, you may. But you must always heed the advice of me and your guardian and not needlessly throw yourself into danger."

The girl nodded. "Yes, sir."

"The team should be heading out for a scouting mission soon. Prepare to roll out," Optimus ordered before walking away.

"Well, that went better than expected," Darkstorm remarked.

Skye sighed. "Well, I admit I'm a little nervous about this, but I'm happy. I would go nuts just waiting here, tinkering on useless gadgets, while you all fight for my home." She smiled at her guardian. "Thanks for the backup."

"Anytime," Darkstorm smiled. The two walked towards the ground bridge with the rest of the team. The Autobots all looked at Skye with mixed emotions before turning to Optimus.

"Optimus, surely she isn't-" Arcee tried to protest.

"She is considered an adult in Earth terms and so she is free to fight alongside us," was Optimus' simple answer.

"Well, I think it's a great idea. Why not let Skye fight? I say she'd have a lot to show on the battlefield," Skybreak said.

"And it is her home planet . . ." Drift said before smiling down at the femme. His mining mask retracted momentarily as he bent down. "I don't believe we've properly met. I'm Drift."

Skye nodded in introduction. "Pleasure to meet you, Drift. I'm Skye." She smiled at the former 'Con.

"Darkstorm's charge. We've heard a lot about ya, kid," Shiv smiled and nodded. "Name's Shiv, by the way."

"And I'm Jolt, sweetspark," Jolt grinned. Skybreak glared dangerously at the mech in question and took a menacing step forward. Said mech let out a fearful squeak before hiding behind the largest 'Bot in the proximity, Optimus Prime.

Drift vented wearily. "Just ignore him. It's how I get by."

The human giggled. "I think we all know someone like that. My cousin can monologue about himself with the best of them. And lecture me for not playing sports with him anymore."

"And I get stuck with this one. . . a femme-ogling Vehicon who's scared of his own shadow."

"Hey, I ain't scared of my own shadow!" the Vehicon glanced at Skybreak warily. "I'm just smart enough to stay away from certain 'Bots."

"Aw, come on. You know me," Skybreak grinned innocently. "I wouldn't hurt anybody." Darkstorm stared at her brother with a raised optic ridge and snorted. Please. . .

The group's attention was diverted however as Bumblebee and Bulkhead walked towards them._ "Optimus, I heard you were going on a scouting mission."_

"We are," Optimus nodded. "But due to your inability to transform or use your integrated weapon systems, we believe it would be best if you stayed here with Bulkhead and Ratchet."

_"But, Optimus-"_ Bumblebee attempted to protest but was silenced by his leader.

"We are doing this for your own good, Bumblebee. You have to trust us. We will recover what you have lost but you cannot place yourself in danger. You must stay at our base until further notice."

Bumblebee's door wings lowered out of disappointment but he nodded in compliance. "Please, 'Bee. I could not bear the thought of losing you. Just stay here and we shall take care of it, alright?" Darkstorm pleaded.

Bumblebee vented dejectedly. _"Alright,"_ he said before going over to watch television with Raf and Miko.

"Autobots, roll out," Optimus ordered. Darkstorm shot him one last worried look before moving through the ground bridge with her team. Optimus split up the 'Bots into three scouting units: Optimus, Arcee, and Shiv went one way to form a defensive perimeter; Skybreak and Jolt (much to his discomfort) went another. Darkstorm, Skye, and Drift were sent to investigate the signal and would radio for backup in case things took a turn for the worst. When they finally reached the area however, they were met with a simple energon mine. It certainly wasn't a relic but still . . . the Autobots were always in need of more energon.

Darkstorm began to move forward but Drift pulled her behind a nearby boulder, gesturing for Skye to follow. "Careful. Vehicon guards are always posted around the entrance," Drift nodded towards some guards a few yards away. "And if we don't play this right, our presence will be made known to the entire armada."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Darkstorm asked.

"I can sneak in." Skye looked up at the 'Bots. "I'm small enough that I should be able to get in unnoticed. And if not, I can play the ignorant human card."

Drift thought on this for a moment before he realized something. "Wait just a nano-klick. I think I have a better idea. . . I was a Decepticon miner. I should be able to just walk in without any trouble at all."

"But Drift, I am sure Megatron has sent out a notice to his troops that you and two others have betrayed him," Darkstorm said.

Drift smirked and engaged his mining mask. "They may be able to distinguish me without it. . . but with it on? I look just like any other miner. You'll see, it's foolproof."

"But what do we do? Just hang out here and hope no one decides to enjoy some fresh air?" Skye asked.

Drift vented. "Highly unlikely . . . Miners and Vehicons don't get breaks. We are expected to be at our post all cycle until we are called back to the Nemesis and are relieved by another team." Drift composed himself. "Trust me, I'll call you back in a few klicks. No one gets hurt and the 'Bots get energon."

Drift calmly stepped out from behind the boulder and began walking towards the energon mine. The Vehicons guarding the entrance exchanged a look but they seemed to be more concerned than suspicious.

"Mech, do you have a death wish?" one of them hissed. "Megatron'll have your helm if he finds out that you weren't at your post."

"IF he finds out that I wasn't at my post," Drift shook his helm. "But, sorry fellas. I haven't been feeling well lately. . . and it's not like I can go to Knock Out for a simple complaint." The Vehicons nodded with understanding.

"Ain't that the truth," one of them chuckled.

"Well, you'd better get back to your post before someone does find out," another one ordered.

Drift moved through the stone archway before pausing. "I would but it looks like there's a serious cave-in back in one of the tunnels. You think you could help us out? If it's not fixed, we won't get our quota in and if that happens. . ." Drift let the silent words sink into their processors. Megatron would offline them.

"Sure thing." The Vehicons moved back into the cave, lead by Drift. He gestured for Darkstorm and Skye to retrieve the energon before he disappeared.

"Well, looks like it worked. Now all we have to do is obtain some energon before they return," Darkstorm said before grabbing a levitating mining cart already half-way full of bright blue energon crystals. Skye and Darkstorm quickly gathered the mineral until they heard someone approaching. Hurriedly, Darkstorm pushed the cart behind their hiding place. She and Skye waited for a while before Drift came back to meet them.

He dislodged his mask and smiled. "Told you. Foolproof."

"So it was. Excellent work, Drift," Darkstorm smiled before comming the others. "Optimus, we've secured some energon and are awaiting your orders." She nodded. "Right away." She turned to the others. "Optimus told us to rendezvous to the east. We should be there in about fifteen Earth minutes." Darkstorm moved to push the cart but Drift stopped her.

"Allow me. I've worked with these far more than you have."

"Oh. . . Well, thank you," she smiled.

Skye smirked at the miner. "And who said chivalry was dead?" She asked teasingly.

Drift turned to Darkstorm, a bit confused. "Chivalry is a human concept, basically entailing honor in battle and more importantly respect towards femmes," Darkstorm explained.

"Actually, that's only the more romantic concept, though it is what I meant. Originally, chivalry only referred to not killing other knights on the battlefield. They were actually told it was their job to be cruel to the simplefolk to keep them in line. Over time, namely the romantic period, it because more civilized." Skye smiled shyly. "Sorry, TMI?"

Drift again looked confused. "I believe the human expression is 'too much information'. And no, Skye. It is always interesting to learn more about Earth's history," Darkstorm smiled.

"Oh, I've got more, we just don't have time for a history lesson."

Darkstorm nodded and continued to walk alongside her charge and the miner. She began thinking however and knew that she had to ask what had been on her mind ever since Drift conversed with the Vehicon guards. "Drift?"

"Yes?"

"When you were explaining why you were absent from your post . . . I mean, I was aware that Knock Out's medical expertise wasn't exactly orthodox but would Megatron truly offline his workers if they took a leave or didn't manage their quotas?" she asked softly but inwardly she already knew the answer. She wouldn't put any cruelty past Megatron.

Drift vented before nodding. "Yes. But it'd only ever be one or two mechs. He . . . liked to make examples of them so the other workers would stay in line."

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component and vented. "I'm sorry. . ."

"It's fine," Drift smiled. "At least, me and the others managed to get out while they could. And, you know what? The Autobots aren't that bad. I can see why you joined them."

"And I am glad that you managed to, Drift," she smiled.

After a few more moments of walking, the three of them arrived at the rendezvous point. Even Optimus looked a bit surprised as they walked up with a large cart filled to the brim with energon crystals.

"And how did you manage to procure this?" Optimus asked.

"Simple, boss bot. Drift just walked in and carried some out. The guards wouldn't know if he was a 'Bot or not," Shiv spoke up.

"Actually, it wasn't that simple but you are right there. They thought I was just another worker. I distracted the guards while Darkstorm and Skye carried away with the energon and no one got hurt," Drift explained.

"Well then, excellent work, Drift," Optimus smiled. "Your contributions to this team are much appreciated."

"Thank you, Optimus."

The team paused as they received another comm link but not from any among their company. It was Bulkhead and. . . something was terribly wrong. Before anyone could get a word in edgewise, Darkstorm silenced them with an outstretched servo. "Wait, what exactly happened, Bulkhead?" Several emotions then flashed across Darkstorm's facial plating. First, frustration and anger. Then, sadness until it was replaced by a hardened resolve. "Don't move. We'll be right there."

"What's up, Darkstorm?" Skye hadn't heard the transmission, so she only had the Bots' reactions to go on to figure out what happened.

"Bumblebee went on a separate mission with Bulkhead, against Optimus' wishes. Against my wishes. Apparently, the two met Breakdown and Knock Out and Bumblebee attempted to pursue the latter. In doing so without a vehicle mode, he accidentally fell off the side of a cliff and is now lying there, injured," Darkstorm said, her voice thick but her facial plating showing no emotion.

Skye put her hand over her mouth and looked away. "Oh scrap." The way she said it didn't sound so much out of concern, as it did suggesting Bumblebee would be in a scrap-ton of trouble with Darkstorm when they got him back to base.

"Ratchet, ground bridge us to the coordinates in question," Optimus ordered.

Almost immediately, a portal opened and the team walked through. They walked across the road and carefully climbed down the steep slope, until they saw Bulkhead alongside Bumblebee's still form. Darkstorm, still trying to compose herself and preventing her violent emotions from spilling forth, checked his vitals. He was alive and seemingly unharmed despite Bulkhead's previous frantic report but he was knocked unconscious due to his fall. With the 'Bots help, Bumblebee was brought through another ground bridge portal and placed onto a medical berth. All the team could do now, was wait until he awakened from stasis.

**A/N: Yet another chappie bites the dust! ^^ And blondie and I so loved writing this one. I hope all of you readers who love drama loved this chappie. Well, a big thank you to all our reviewers and the lovely ladies and gents who favorited/followed this story. We love you! **

**"Delight yourself also in the Lord; and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way unto the Lord; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass." Psalm 37: 4-5.**

**And I totally agree with blondie. XD Poor 'Bee... not only will he have been victim to Skybreak's wrath but he'll have been victim to Darkstorm's. I don't know if y'all have seen her mad before but dang. She will be mad the next chappie... *grabs bucket of popcorn* Let the carnage begin! *cough* Anyway, please leave a review and may God bless all of you!**

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**

**A/N: Laaaaaa and Operation Bumblebee is here! Way to go, Skye, being the . . . damsel in distress *cough* And poor Bee. I dunno which to feel worst about, him losing his T-cog or whatever Skybreak said to him-I'd certainly never wanna make the guy mad. And somehow it seems worse when it's an older brother protective thing . . . but in any case! Love yous all, and, as always, cookies for you :3 freshly stolen back from the dark side**

**Theme song: "Broken" by Seether ft. Amy Lee**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers Prime or its canon characters. They belong to Hasbro and the Hub. We do however own our OCs. Dream'sRealm owns Drift, Shiv, Jolt, Darkstorm, and Skybreak. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher.**

"I cannot believe you, Bumblebee! I thought we had agreed on this. You would stay at the base where something like this would not happen, but you blatantly disregarded Optimus' orders. And what's worse, you disregarded my wishes," Darkstorm's red optics blazed with anger.

_"But, 'Storm, I-"_

"Don't you 'but, 'Storm, I' me. You know that without the use of your T-Cog you could have become seriously injured. You could have offlined yourself and then where would I have been?"

Bulkhead slowly began to sneak out of the medical bay before Darkstorm's glare stopped him dead in his tracks. "Uh-oh," he muttered.

"And you! You allowed Bumblebee to convince you to let him go on the mission. Has your central processing unit gone faulty?"

"W-Well-"

"Can't answer that, can you?" Darkstorm vented angrily.

_"Storm, I . . . I didn't mean to make you worry. I just had to do something instead of sitting around the base all day."_

"You just had to do something instead of sitting around the base all day? Well, sitting around the base all day would mean that you were safe and not tumbling down the sides of cliffs, nearly offlining yourself," Darkstorm hissed.

Before Darkstorm could continue, Optimus silenced her. "Darkstorm, that is enough." He turned to Bumblebee. "Bumblebee, as if this moment you are confined to base until further notice. If you disobey my orders again, further disciplinary actions will be taken."

Bumblebee vented. _"Yes, Optimus."_

Ratchet called Optimus over and Darkstorm vented, looking away when Bumblebee made optic contact. _"Storm, I'm sorry._" Darkstorm shook her helm frustratedly and walked outside, most likely to take a much-needed flight.

Skye walked up to Bumblebee, placing a hand on his pedde. "Bumblebee, I understand where Darkstorm is coming from- she loves you and doesn't want to see you hurt proving you can still be part of the team. But even more so, I understand your position." She sighed. "You remember earlier when I mentioned I know what it's like to be misunderstood?" The scout nodded. "Do you mind if I . . ?"

She made a scooping gesture, then pointed to her shoulder then ear. Somehow Bumblebee understood what she meant and put his servo at a height that Skye could climb onto. He raised her to his shoulder, and she got off, found a flat portion and sat down, facing his helm.

"Three years ago, I was an important part of my volleyball team. They could depend on me to move fast and get to the ball when no one else could, or make it to the net from the back row for a block. I'm not sure how much of that makes sense, but basically the team needed me because I was fast. And I loved it- the fun of the sport, being needed by the team, the memories . . . I never thought it would end.

"Well, a few weeks into the next season, I was in a car accident and lost my leg. And suddenly I couldn't do anything- for two months, I had to learn how to walk again with my new leg, knowing that I could never swim again, nor could I play volleyball for at least a year. Even worse, my team, which had come to depend on me, were afraid to even walk next to me lest they hurt me, and I was seen more for my new disability than the star player. And it hurt. A lot. And by the time I got out of the hospital, I was already in America, with people I didn't know, and my old team never spoke to me again.

"So, there's my sob story. And there's why I understand what you're going through. I haven't lost my voice, but I know how it feels to have a physical, essential part of yourself suddenly gone." She smiled. "But you are getting yours back, I'm sure of it. You have a good team, and they won't let you down."

Bumblebee smiled._ "I know, I just. . ."_ he vented. _"I don't know what came over me."_

"And hey, no more wild stunts, okay? It would break 'Storm's heart if anything happens to you, and watching her would about kill the rest of us. And Skybreak would probably pull you out of your grave and kill you again." She smiled gently.

Bumblebee chuckled. _"You're probably right."_

"Yeah, 'Bee. Maybe you should stay at base," Bulkhead sweat-dropped. "I don't think I've ever seen her that mad. . ."

Skye smiled at the Wrecker. "And you may not want to go on missions with Darkstorm for a little while, Bulkhead. Just in case."

The Wrecker's optics widened fearfully and he nodded. Skybreak laughed. "It takes a lot to make my sister angry but when she is. . . it would be wise to stay out of the immediate vicinity." He smirked at Bumblebee. "I would scold you but 'Storm already did that for me."

Skye nodded to the Seeker. "By the way, Skybreak, why do you still have the Decepticon symbol? Aren't you an Autobot now?"

Skybreak looked a bit startled by the question but he quickly composed himself. "Just because I've forsaken Megatron, doesn't mean that I'm an Autobot. I don't know if your guardian explained this to you but the Autobots, Bumblebee in particular, offlined a childhood friend of mine, Skyquake, in battle. That and I've never been one to support those who sat idly by as the lower castes suffered. The only reason I am here is to protect my sister. If she wasn't within your company, I doubt if I'd stick around."

Skye nodded and averted her gaze. "I see . . ."

Bumblebee also averted his gaze. _"I was only trying to protect Optimus, Skybreak. I didn't want to offline him. . . I did everything in my power to try and save him."_

"Oh, I'm sure you did. Autobot code of honor and all, right?" Skybreak replied sarcastically.

"Then maybe you've forgotten how many innocents Skyquake and his twin brother terminated during the war," Arcee glared, her arms crossed.

Skybreak's servos clenched into fists but he restrained himself. "Innocents. . . Don't you dare talk to me about innocents. Skyquake may have had a fiery temper but he and Dreadwing always had a sense of honor." His gaze hardened. "The only solace I find is that Dreadwing won't be as kind as me once he finds out who offlined his twin, scout." And with that, the mech Seeker walked away.

"I'm sorry, guys." Skye looked between Arcee and Bumblebee. "I didn't mean to start anything."

"It's fine. Skybreak always has been easy to anger," Arcee said. "Besides, you couldn't have known since Darkstorm never told you."

Bumblebee shrugged and vented. _"I can understand why. It's a sore subject for the both of them. She doesn't talk about her past much but when she does, I could tell they were close."_

* * *

When Darkstorm returned to base, she at least could think more clearly and for that she was thankful. She was still however in shock and perhaps still a bit angry. She knew she would be lost without her T-Cog. A Seeker was born to fly and if she couldn't, she would slowly go insane. She supposed she was a bit worried as well. Bumblebee could have offlined himself and her spark would have broken, all over a T-Cog. She vented and shook her helm before walking over to the med bay. Well, he did apologize so that's that.

"Darkstorm? I was wondering if you are able to perform a T-Cog transplant surgery," Ratchet asked her.

"A T-Cog transplant surgery?" she asked. "Is this about Bumblebee?" Ratchet nodded solemnly. "But who would be able to spare a T-Cog?"

"The mech standing before you. A T-Cog would be no great loss to me. You know my place is here at the base instead of out in the field. Bumblebee however desperately needs his returned."

"I . . . I have never truly performed a T-Cog transplant surgery but, I shall try. For 'Bee," Darkstorm said, determinated.

Ratchet and Bumblebee lay on separate medial berths and Darkstorm was preparing to initiate induced stasis. "See, 'Bee?" she smiled softly. "I told you you'd get it back."

_"I know and . . . I'm sorry I made you worry like that. You're more important to me than any T-Cog,"_ Bumblebee whispered.

Darkstorm smiled and bent down to kiss the scout's forehelm. "Apology accepted," she said before inducing stasis. She went over to the other side of the med bay to retrieve the proper tools. She vented, bracing herself, and was about to make the first incision before an alarm went off. She let out a tiny yell of surprise and fumbled with the tool, trying not to let it fall.

"Easy, doll. A bit nervous about the surgery?" Shiv chuckled.

"I-I suppose," Darkstorm said. "But what's going on?"

"Another relic from the vaults of Iacon has been located. Darkstorm, you are to stay and finish the operation while we investigate," Optimus ordered. "Autobots, roll out." Optimus and a few others entered the groundbridge before Darkstorm noticed that her brother was not among them.

"Drift, where is my brother?" Darkstorm asked.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Maybe he-"

"He threw a mini temper tantrum and then went out for a flight," Arcee interrupted. "I wouldn't count on him to show up for this mission."

The rest of the team filed through the ground bridge as it closed behind them and Darkstorm's forehelm furrowed. What could have caused her brother to be so upset that he left without warning? She tried his comm link channel but found that it was shut down. Darkstorm vented wearily. She would finish the operation and then she would talk to him. After all, he couldn't be out all cycle. He would need to return eventually.

Darkstorm braced herself once more and went to make the first incision before another sound startled her, this time the medical tool fell, nearly hitting her pedde in the process. She placed a servo to her forehelm and walked over to the base's computer to answer the transmission. It was Special Agent William Fowler, much to her surprise.

"Agent Fowler? To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Is Optimus here?" he asked.

"No, Optimus and the rest of the Autobots have gone to recover another Iacon relic. I am the only . . . coherant bot here at the moment. Is there something you need?"

"I just wanted to pass on a set of coordinates that could be a possible location to the MECH base," the Special Agent answered as a set of coordinates were displayed across the screen.

Darkstorm inwardly rejoiced. Perhaps it was too risky but . . . if she was successful in retrieving Bumblebee's T-Cog then the surgery was no longer needed. It could be dangerous. After all, MECH had not only downed a Decepticon but Bumblebee as well. Who knows what they would do to her.

Still. . . she had to try. For Bumblebee.

"Thank you, Agent Fowler. I will put these coordinates to-" Darkstorm was interrupted by her charge.

"Don't you even think of going there alone, Darkstorm!" Skye put her hands on the rail leaning toward her guardian as she spoke. "They managed to take Bumblebee down alone, and he had access to his weapons at the time. I know what you're thinking, and that's why I'm saying no way, at least not solo."

"Thank you, Agent Fowler," Darkstorm said before ending the transmission and turning to her charge. "I realize that but just think at the danger you were put in the last time you encountered them. They nearly captured you, Skye."

"I didn't have this last time." She held up her wrist, showing the stunner mounted on it. "And I can take my harness if it'll make you feel better. But we both know what happened, what almost happened, and neither would have had there been backup."

Darkstorm vented but nodded in agreement. "Very well. But you stay close to me, alright?"

Skye nodded. "Of course. You couldn't pay me to stay out of the action. Not this time."

Darkstorm entered the supposed coordinates of the MECH base and opened another ground bridge. "But we must be quick. Optimus and the others will expect another ground bridge when they are finished with their mission and since we left behind two mechs firmly in stasis . . . It would be wise to be swift."

"Agreed."

Darkstorm nodded and ran through the ground bridge, Skye at her heel struts. When they arrived on the other side of the portal, they were met with a large military base. "So Agent Fowler was right. . . They are here," Darkstorm mused.

"And seem to have made themselves quite cozy here. Well" Skye tested the stunner. "Not for long. Let's go get 'Bee's T-Cog back."

Darkstorm smirked and crept towards the base stealthily. There were about three or four guards at the front of the base. Luckily, they hadn't spot Darkstorm or her charge yet. "Think you can take care of the guards for me? I would but . . . I hardly think Optimus would approve of me using my blades on the humans."

Skye smirked. "Will do." She walked towards the guards, trying to make her body language reflect that of an innocent, or scared person. "Excuse me, sir!" She spoke when she was far enough away from all of them that it caught all of their attention, and one started walking towards her. "Is the rest of the group here? I got separated from everyone else."

"Ma'am, you need to leave." The man tried to put his hand on her shoulder, but she took a step away from him, making a scene that would attract the others rather than start a fight now.

"No, really, I was told the group was meeting at a base. Or basecamp? Please, are they here?"

"You're in the wrong place, miss. Please leave." The other men started walking towards them. Slowly.

They were taking too long. Skye jammed the pointed ends of the stunner into the man's arm and activated it, making him convulse and fall the the ground.

"Help!" She yelled at the men coming over, trying to make it look like she hadn't done anything. It worked, and they ran to Skye, looking at their comrade now lying unconscious on the ground.

"What happened?"

Skye looked between the two men, one of which was kneeling and assessing the fallen man's condition. She quickly jabbed the one standing in front of her in the arm as well, stunning him as she had the other. The man kneeling tried to react but she kicked him with her right leg, knocking him on his back. She quickly stunned him as she had the others, but didn't get all the way down before activating the stunner. Thankfully, it arced and hit the MECH agent, not her leg.

She turned and waved at Darkstorm. Darkstorm moved forward and unsheathed her blades. "Stay behind me until I give you the all clear." Darkstorm took a deep breath before kicking in the large door and entering. Much to her surprise, not only did she find MECH but Starscream and the skeleton of a Cybertronian as well . . . Were they . . . building this? she thought with wide optics.

"Ah, Darkstorm. What a surprise," Starscream smirked. "And I see you brought a pet."

Darkstorm glared. "Starscream. I never thought even a mech like you would stoop this low. Aiding the humans who butchered our kind to make this . . . monstrosity!"

"Monstrosity?" a human asked. He walked up to the main platform and Darkstorm recognized him immediately. Silas. "We are creating no such thing. We are simply using Cybertronian biology to better the human race."

"Better the human race. . . . Better it by doing what? By building a weapon?"

Silas smirked. "Very astute for a robot." Darkstorm grit her denta in anger. She was no mere robot. "You see, there's a war brewing, between the old world order and the new. The victor will be the side armed with the most innovative technology."

"Enough talk," Darkstorm hissed. "Now, I am only going to ask you once. Hand over Bumblebee's T-Cog or we will take it by force."

"We'll see about that," Silas snapped and his soldiers immediately open fired at Darkstorm and Skye. Darkstorm shielded her charge with her frame but was thrown aside by Starscream.

Skye dove for cover behind a stack of bins to the right of the doorway. She poked her head out, quickly checking how many soldiers were nearby, and saw several running towards her. She ducked back behind the cover, preparing to stun as many as she could when they found her.

One entered Skye's field of vision and she went for his neck, which had little armor to maneuver the stunner's spikes around. He went down quickly, and was followed by three more that she took down with as much ease. The fifth guy seemed to catch on, though, as he ducked under her arm as she swung it and easily got behind her. Before she could turn, he hit her in the back of the neck with the butt of his rifle, forcing her to the ground. She faced him, her unarmed hand on the sore spot, before using her left leg to force herself up with little reaction time on the soldier's part. She grunted as she put all her strength into a kick to his left thigh. It connected, sending him falling on his side. Skye stunned him before he could retaliate.

She looked to her guardian, who was in an intense fight with the one she called Starscream. She could only spare a second or two, as more MECH soldiers continued to come at her.

Darkstorm looked over at her charge and saw that she would soon be outnumbered. She knew she would have to do something and fast. With as much force as she could manage, she swiped at Starscream's chassis, causing him to fall backwards. She then roundhouse kicked him in the helm. His optics soon offlined and he slumped downwards, unconscious. She shielded Skye with her servo as the MECH soldiers began to fire their weapons before picking her up. She ran towards the makeshift Cybertronian, bullets peppering her armor all the while, and tore through the armor with her sharpened digits. After a few moments of rummaging, she found it. Bumblebee's T-Cog.

"Let's get out of here," Darkstorm said. She ran out of the door and transformed, making sure that the T-Cog and her charge were safely in her cockpit. She ran her scanners to try to see if MECH was following but there was nothing. It seemed her and Skye were safe. She let out a vent of relief. "You alright?"

She laughed. "Of course. We make a great team, you and I." Skye paused. "So when Ratchet met with Starscream to retrieve intel . . . that was Starscream?"

"Yes, unfortunately. That was the very same Starscream, traitorous former Second in Command of the Decepticons."

Skye stifled a giggle. "I see what Miko meant about those heels."

"My brother would always joke about that, too," Darkstorm laughed. "He even mistook Starscream for a femme when he and Megatron first met him."

"I can see why. He's positively . . . feminine."

"A poor excuse for a Seeker if ever there was one," Darkstorm agreed, smiling. "But, I'd say today was a success. Bumblebee will be so happy once he finds out."

"Absolutely. And we managed to avoid having to hurt anyone . . . aside from some muscle spasms for a day or so."

"Indeed. Perhaps, we do make a good team, Skye."

Skye smiled. "Now, let's just hope we don't get in trouble with Optimus for . . . kinda running off."

"Leave Optimus to me. I . . . I am sure he will understand." Darkstorm vented. "We should also hope that my brother returns soon. He shut down his comm link and I can't even reach him . . . and when I asked the others, all they told me was that he was angered and left in a great hurry."

"I'm . . . sure he'll come back." Skye still felt so bad about starting that conversation, but didn't dare say anything about it to Darkstorm. She knew the Seeker wouldn't be angry, but it was Skye's own guilt keeping her from it, especially if Skybreak didn't return soon.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you? I mean, you were at the base at the time and so. . . I was hoping you knew something," Darkstorm said, slightly worried.

Skye froze. "Eehhh . . . I uh . . ." She sighed and closed her eyes. "It was my fault."

"My dear youngling, I'm sure it was not your fault. My brother's moods can be . . . erratic, at best."

"No, it was me. I asked why he had a Decepticon symbol instead of Autobot, and he said Bumblebee killed one of your childhood friends. Then he and Arcee argued for a moment and he took off. But he wouldn't have left had I not opened my fat mouth."

Darkstorm was silent for a few moments. "I see . . . But I still do not believe it was your fault," she vented. "I was there when Bumblebee offlined Skyquake. I was angry at first and I felt as if I had been betrayed. After all, they claimed that the Autobots were fighting for peace and yet my childhood friend was offlined right in front of me. But I soon learned that Skyquake was sent by Megatron to offline Optimus and that my leader tried to convince Skyquake to stop his madness . . . Bumblebee was only trying to protect Optimus and Special Agent William Fowler. He did not mean to offline him. I understand that now. My brother, however, does not. He most likely still blames Bumblebee for his passing . . . and while he may not have the courage to do something about it due to my feelings for the scout, I fear he will let Dreadwing have his way." Darkstorm vented again. "If only things were different, Skye . . . then perhaps this wouldn't have happened."

"When I lost my leg . . . I questioned everything that happened in my life. If I had left just five minutes earlier, I wouldn't have been in that wreck. Had I chosen not to go at all and stayed home, it wouldn't have been an issue at all. Why had I joined volleyball in the first place? But I've learned since that, cliche as it is, everything happens for a reason. Maybe if I had waited five minutes, someone else would have been there instead of me, and they may have died. Had I decided to stay home my friends might have driven to come get me anyway, and they could have been hurt. I joined volleyball because I wanted to try something for a team.

"And you know what, Darkstorm? Had I not been in that wreck, I wouldn't have become so enthusiastic about robotics. And, even worse, I wouldn't have been on that Jeep trail where Arcee found me, and I wouldn't have met you and the team. Some things hurt like acid, but it always turns out better." She smiled slightly and leaned back in the seat. "But I suppose I'm naive and ignorant to the way things work in a war, aren't I?"

"No, not at all. You may have never experienced the horrors of war like I have but you are still wise beyond your years, Skye. I suppose things do happen for a reason . . . and I suppose I have to trust that God knows what He is doing."

"And that's how you get through tough times. And, of course, a good team."

Darkstorm smiled softly. "A good team. Of course." At last, Skye and Darkstorm reached the Autobot base. As predicted, Bumblebee and Ratchet were still deep in stasis and when Darkstorm checked the base's computer, no transmissions had come in. She vented in relief. Looks like she'd have to explain to Optimus about their little escapade later than sooner. She disengaged Ratchet from stasis, needing him to aide her in performing the delicate procedure.

When he came to, he stared at the T-Cog in Darkstorm's servo in shock. "Where in the name of the Allspark did you get that?"

"Let's just say a certain Special Agent called with coordinates to MECH's base," Darkstorm smiled.

Ratchet returned the gesture. "And I suppose you need help in replacing it?"

"You'd be correct there. Transplants are more your specialty, Ratchet."

"Well then, let's get started."

It took several hours but, at last, Bumblebee's T-Cog had been restored. Darkstorm welded the wound shut and soon, the scout came to. He shakily sat up. _"So, what happened, 'Storm? Is Ratchet okay?"_

"Oh, Ratchet is more than okay. In fact, he helped me with the surgery."

_"Helped you with the-? But how-?"_

"It seems Darkstorm and her young charge stormed the MECH base and retrieved your T-Cog. There was no need for a transplant, after all," Ratchet chuckled.

Bumblebee sat there for a few moments, optics wide, before grinning behind his mask widely. He hugged Ratchet, disconcerting the medic, before picking up Skye and holding her to his chassis. _"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"_

The femme laughed as she hugged him as best she could. "No problem."

Bumblebee gently placed Skye down before embracing Darkstorm. He kissed her before whispering,_ "And thank you, Darkstorm."_

"I told you we would do everything in our power to make you whole and I am a femme of my word," Darkstorm smiled widely.

When the team finally returned from their mission, they too were happy that Bumblebee was whole again despite losing the Forge of Solus Prime to the Decepticons.

"Darkstorm, you disobeyed my orders and left the base unprotected," Optimus began and Darkstorm tensed, expecting punishment but was instead met with a gentle smile. "But you successfully retrieved Bumblebee's T-Cog from MECH's hands and for that, we all are grateful."

"T-Thank you, Optimus," Darkstorm smiled.

_"Come on, 'Storm! We need to celebrate!"_ Bumblebee grinned excitedly and transformed. Darkstorm giggled and looked to Optimus for permission. The leader of the Autobots smiled and nodded. Darkstorm activated her holoform and hopped inside Bumblebee's alt form, gesturing for Skye to follow. The girl grinned and followed suit. Before Ratchet could protest, Bumblebee zoomed out of the base and onto the deserted desert road as fast as he could, rock music blaring out of his stereo.

* * *

Darkstorm and Skye returned to the base late that night, their hearts still racing from the thrill ride they just took. Bumblebee bid them goodnight before he left to go to his quarters. Darkstorm and Skye followed suit until Darkstorm heard familiar footfall coming down the hallway.

"Stay here," Darkstorm whispered before going over to investigate. With relief, she realized it was no intruder but her brother. "Skybreak. Where have you been? And why did you shut down your comm link? I was. . . I was worried."

"It's nothing," he said roughly. "I just needed a flight to clear my helm." He turned aside but was stopped by an outstretched servo.

"You and I both know that that's not why you ran off . . ." Darkstorm vented. "Skye told me what happened."

"Did she now?"

"Brother, please. I know you are still angry about what happened to Skyquake but Bumblebee was only trying to protect his loved ones. He never meant to harm anyone."

"Is that what he told you? Oh, how quickly they're clouding your mind, Sister," Skybreak chuckled bitterly.

Darkstorm glared. "My mind is far from clouded. I cared for him too, you know. Dreadwing, as well. My spark broke as I watched his twin's demise and knew that his bond with Dreadwing was broken. Don't you ever believe otherwise!"

"Then how can you stand by and condone the scout's actions? Without him, Skyquake would still be alive!"

"Brother . . . We are in a war. Don't you think I wish things were different? Please, think clearly. You know how Megatron manipulates others. Skyquake may not have been the same mech we once knew," Darkstorm vented softly. "But we have to trust that God knows what He is doing."

"Oh, I see. So now you're questioning his honor? And tell me, where was this God when Skyquake was slaughtered?" Skybreak hissed.

"Skybreak, He saved my life when Megatron attempted to offline me. I am sure that He is good and that He has a reason for all this."

"Well, when you figure that out, tell me," Skybreak shook his helm and brushed away his sister's servo. "And make sure you tell Dreadwing that there was a reason why his brother was terminated in cold blood when he arrives."

Darkstorm stopped dead in her tracks, optics wide. "When he arrives? What-?"

"He commed me and told me he would arrive on Earth in a few cycles."

"And he didn't bother to tell me?"

"I told him everything. He knows you're an Autobot supporter now. Maybe he thought better of it," Skybreak said before going into his own quarters and slamming the door shut.

Darkstorm stood there in the hallway for several minutes, trying desperately to process her brother's words.

"You know," Skye walked up next to Darkstorm, arms crossed, facing Skybreak's door. "One would think seeing his friend's brother die would make him appreciate that he still has his own sister."

"Pay him no mind. He is upset, that is all," Darkstorm vented.

"No offense, but it seems you're paying him more mind than I. I'm just mad, but you're hurt." She glanced up at her guardian from the corner of her eye. "He's acting like a juvenile and not considering that this situation upsets you as much as him."

"As I said before, his moods can be . . . erratic, at best. I am sure he will come to his senses by morning."

"He'd better. Or I may have to kick his aft."

Darkstorm chuckled weakly. "I suppose this is you trying to look after me?"

"Trying?" Skye's voice broke into a small laugh. "I'm completely serious here. If he doesn't wise up, he'll have bigger issues than old grudges to worry about. I pack a punch, just ask those MECH guys."

"Thank you, Skye, for caring," Darkstorm smiled softly. "I just . . ." She vented. "I used to be so sure of everything and now . . . I'm not. Skybreak told me that Dreadwing is on his way and if he didn't even bother to comm me to tell me of his arrival, then I'm afraid he's just as livid with me as he is with Bumblebee." She looked downwards sadly. "Where is God in this?"

"He's on your side, Darkstorm. You can't help what others think of you, so there's no bother in putting too much thought in it. That mind is more fit for helping others, your God-given talent, so don't waste it on things you can't change. And things will get better, you just have to wait out the storm."

"I suppose you're right . . . but what if Dreadwing tries to seek revenge? How am I supposed to choose between him and Bumblebee when the time comes? I don't think I could bear it."

"I think how you choose is based on actions in the here and now. If Dreadwing does wish harm upon someone who shows no malice, then it is clear who is in the wrong. You will always remember him for the good mech you used to know, but you have to look at present actions, because what you do now will live on, it won't keep you in the past." She smiled slightly. "Don't make me put a rubber band on your wrist and snap it everytime I hear the phrase 'what if' from you. Tomorrow always comes soon enough."

Darkstorm vented once more before smiling weakly. "Thank you . . . I suppose you're right."

"Of course I'm right. You're tired, stressed, and need some sleep to clear your thoughts. Where I'm just . . . tired."

"Indeed. Now come, I have a surprise for you." Darkstorm gestured for Skye to follow her into her quarters.

"If it's a bucket of water on the door, you're getting it when I'm rested."

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge. "I would hardly play a prank on you at a time like this." She paused before adding, "Besides, April Fool's Day is still a long way off." She gestured to a large bed next to her berth with assorted pillows and quilts. "I talked to Agent Fowler about the berth and he sent this to me. Is it adequate?"

Skye grinned from ear to ear before running and diving onto the bed. She rolled onto her back and grabbed a portion of the soft blanket, snuggling it to her face. "It's wonderful!" Her squeal was muffled by the blanket. "Thank you, Darkstorm!"

"You are most welcome, Skye," she giggled before curling onto her metal berth.

Skye crawled under the covers, throwing all but one of the pillows onto the floor. "Micropluuuuuush," she cooed, her face buried in the blanket again.

Darkstorm giggled again, amused by her charge's action. "Goodnight, Skye."

"Goodnight, Darkstorm," was the muffled reply from a large mount in the bed.

* * *

Dreadwing lay on the berth inside his small ship, pondering the previous conversation he had with Skybreak. He was inwardly delighted to know that his childhood companions were still online but could not possibly believe what Skybreak had told him. When he last saw them, they were both loyal supporters of the Decepticon cause and now he hears that Darkstorm had betrayed Megatron and that Skybreak joined her . . . on the grounds that Megatron attempted to offline his sister. But. . . could that be true?

However, what he could not possibly understand was that Darkstorm was in love with the Autobot scout, the very one that Skybreak adamantly claimed had offlined his twin.

Surely, that couldn't be, he thought. Perhaps, it was another one of Skybreak's infamous pranks? If so, it didn't amuse him.

But, Skybreak did seem rather irate when Dreadwing contacted him and usually if his friend was that furious, he ceased to joke. He ranted on and on about how Darkstorm had lost her processor and that the Autobots had clouded her mind. Dreadwing's forehelm furrowed in thought. Darkstorm cared deeply for his twin . . . None of it seemed to make any sense to him.

Perhaps, he could comm her. Then maybe this whole mess could be sorted. Yes, there has to be a reason for all this. Dreadwing got up and vented, reaching out to contact Darkstorm. The comm link was answered but Dreadwing could tell by her quieted breathing that she was recharging.

Should he wait until next cycle?

No, he thought, determined. I must know.

"Darkstorm?" he whispered.

He heard her shift in her sleep but she did not reply. "Darkstorm?" he tried again. This time a soft, feminine voice answered him back.

"Dreadwing? Is that truly you?"

He smiled softly. "Yes and I must say, it is good to hear your voice again."

"My brother told me that you were arriving on Earth soon but," she vented and Dreadwing could practically see her sorrow. "I was worried."

"If you are concerned for my safety, there is no need."

"No . . . no, that's not why I was worried. You commed my brother a short while ago, yes?"

"Yes, I did. He seemed . . . disconcerted and I was wondering if you could explain why. I could not make any sense out of his ramblings. He told me that you were an Autobot now and other such nonsense."

Dreadwing heard a long pause before a timid whisper reached his audio receptors. "I am. I forsook the Decepticons and their cruelty."

Dreadwing's optics widened disbelievingly. Was he dreaming? "Cruelty? Darkstorm, are you well?"

"I am quite well, I assure you. Dreadwing, I know you are loyal to Megatron but I have seen his madness. He wishes to destroy not only Cybertron but Earth, as well. When I fled Vorain after my brother's supposed demise, the Autobots took me in and showed me that they were truly the ones who fought for peace . . ."

So it was true . . . Darkstorm was an Autobot and Skybreak had chosen to join her. "And was Skybreak also correct in claiming that you have a relationship with the scout that offlined Skyquake?" Dreadwing's voice was thick with emotion.

"Please, Dreadwing. Listen to me. Bumblebee was only trying to protect, not harm. He never meant to hurt anyone, especially your twin. . . Skyquake's passing hurt me too, and not a cycle goes by when I don't regret not doing more. I-" Darkstorm vented. "I'm so sorry but, do not question that I cared for him. I care for you both so deeply."

Then why side with the Autobots? Dreadwing wanted to retort. Why not seek revenge for Skyquake's death? Why do your loyalties side with them . . . and not me? "I see. . ." were the only words Dreadwing could manage.

"Dreadwing . . . Dre'wan. . ." Darkstorm whispered, using her nickname for him. It was Seeker cant and Dreadwing taught it to her at an early age. "I am so sorry but please . . . leave Bumblebee out of this. Oh, I-" Dreadwing heard Darkstorm's breath hitch. "I'm so sorry."

Dreadwing was silent for several klicks, his processor racing due to the shock of it all. "You must hate me now," Darkstorm said sorrowfully. "And I understand, if you do. But-"

"I do not hate you. I do not think my spark could ever feel such an emotion towards you, Dar'sain. I . . . I just need time, to sort out my thoughts," Dreadwing said numbly. The empty hole in his spark left by Skyquake's passing seemed to ache all the more.

"I understand. . . Until we meet again, Dre'wan," Darkstorm whispered and ended the comm link.

Dreadwing vented and held his facial plating in his servos, a new stream of coolant running down his buccal plating. So much had changed. . . He was so excited, counting down the stellar cycles until he and his twin could be reunited and now, this. His twin was offline. Darkstorm was fraternizing with the Autobots, claiming that dishonor had fallen on the Decepticon cause and Skybreak was caught in the middle, on one servo, wanting to support his sister and on another, wanting to make the scout pay for the termination of his friend.

Dreadwing still cared for them both, that much he could not deny but he would make the Autobots pay for taking his dear twin from him. He would make them pay and then . . . perhaps, things will be able to be as they once were.

* * *

Darkstorm carefully climbed out of her berth, trying not to wake Skye, and made her way out of the base. After exiting the military silo, she transformed and took to the sky. The full moon shined down gracefully and was the only light guiding Darkstorm's way save for a few lone stars. She traveled onward, for forever it seemed like, until she reached her intended destination. Landing as quietly as she could, she slowly made her way over to the pile of stones. To the human eye, it look like a mere landslide.

If only that were so, Darkstorm internally vented.

It was Skyquake's burial site. The place where Bumblebee had grounded him and where his spark went out. Darkstorm went to her knees and clenched her servos before screaming at the skies, mostly shouts of "why?!". She screamed until her throat cables were sore and then she simply knelt there with coolant running down her facial plating.

"Skyquake, please . . . forgive me," she whispered hoarsely.

She vented shakily and reached out an unsteady servo to touch one of the boulders. Her only wish was that Skyquake was really there . . . instead of rotting away in the ShadowZone due to Starscream's foolishness. With one of her sharpened digits, she carved in a message in Seeker cant. "Brother", it read.

She let her servo drop to her side before crumbling. "God . . . Jesus, please. Help me. I know it was You who saved me but now, I'm afraid I need Your help again. Please, show me what I am supposed to do," she prayed.

Several moments passed but with no answer. Darkstorm vented and was about to leave before, oddly enough, she began to calm down. An unnatural peace slowly enveloped her spark and the air around her. Darkstorm's forehelm furrowed and she placed a servo on her chassis.

Why am I feeling this way? There's no logical reason why I can feel this calm.

All thoughts circling through Darkstorm's mind immediately stopped as she heard the voice . . . the voice she had heard after she was shot by Megatron.

**"Trust in Me, My child, and I will guide Your way. All things work together for good, to those who love Me . . . And remember, only I can turn a trial into a triumph. I am with You and if I am with You, no force can stand against You."**

Darkstorm stared up at the sky in awe with wide optics before smiling and nodding her helm. "A-Alright, God. I suppose I'll have to trust You . . . and I thank You, for everything. Thank You. . . for helping me. I'll try not to doubt You again." She paused before adding, "Please, however, try to appear to my brother and Dreadwing as well. They need Your guidance and please . . . be with my team."

**"I will help them just as I will help You but, you need to trust in Me. Place Your hand in mine and I will give you peace that surpasses all understanding. Do not doubt or fret, for with Me, everything is possible."**

"I will do as you have said," Darkstorm silently vowed.

As she headed back towards the base, the same unnatural peace was still present in her spark and Darkstorm couldn't help but feel that everything would be alright. She no longer felt helpless . . . or alone. And her processor slowly began to believe what God had told her. If He was powerful enough to heal her when she was on the brink of death, then He was powerful enough to aide her in this dire situation. She was certain of it.

**A/N: Another chappie bites the dust! XD And oh, teh feels! I almost cried several times when I was writing Dreadwing's part T.T but at least Darkstorm has the Lord and Skye to help her through this. I also agree with blondie about the hard times and how God can help us and speak to us. Even if He doesn't answer right away, remember, He loves us and He will deliver us. I'm going through another rough patch due to family issues and college stuff... but the Lord has upheld me during this time and I am positive He will uphold you too if you choose to reach out to Him, for He is constantly waiting for you with open arms. He will never judge you or forsake you; He will however always love you.**

**Well, we hope y'all enjoyed this chapter so please, review and tell us what you think! Reviews make our day. We also would like to thank all of you who did review, follow, and favorite this story. God bless all of you!**

**"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5: 7.**

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**

**A/N: Hey y'all~ I have a kind of serious review, for once. I was kinda asleep when DR wrote this last bit so I didn't read it as it was developing, but it's a good thing I think. Reading it as a whole got me thinking about times in my life when things got hard and I prayed. I never heard the answer in that moment, and sometimes it wasn't immediately at all. But there was always an answer. So if you're having a hard time and you pray with seemingly no answer, it doesn't mean God abandoned you, it just means the answer is coming.**

**So now that the serious bit is out of the way, I offer you lovely people not cookies, but neapolitan ice cream! The kind without chunks though, the only thing I want in my ice cream is chocolate chips. Ice cream on a cookie if you review :3**

**Theme song: "Salvation" by Skillet **


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers Prime or its characters. They belong to Hasbro and the Hub. We do however own our OCs. Dream'sRealm owns Drift, Shiv, Jolt, Darkstorm, and Skybreak. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher.**

_Skye is running, her breathing heavy as she pushes onward. She has to reach the end. The war will be over if she does!_

_ Suddenly, a giant metal foot slams down in front of her, and Skye slides to a halt. She looks up, and her eyes widen as a large mech's giant clawed hand reaches for her. She tries to run around him, but is too slow. The hand grabs her around the waist, leaving only enough room to move her upper body as she tries to escape the grasp._

_ He laughs. "Yes, struggle." Each word is elongated as her arms press against the top of the fist in vain. "Your friends did."_

_ Skye freezes. Wh . . . what does he mean? She slowly looks up at the his eyes and gasps at what she sees._

_ In his right eye is an image of Optimus wounded, but Skye can't make out much detail. He seems lifeless, the blue light in his eyes gone, and is laying against what looks like a rock._

_ Skye shakily looks at the left eye and her hand flies up to cover her mouth. Bumblebee is lifeless in what looks like water. This image is clear, and even seems to enlarge the longer she looks at it. She can see a massive hole in his chest, and his spark is flickering and sparking._

_ Skye wants to rip the mech's spark out, to yell, something, but can only look wide-eyed at him, hands over her mouth. Tears stream down her face as he leans closer to her._

_ "Now it gets fun."_

_ He releases her, and she starts falling to the ground. She puts her right leg down, knowing it can take the shock better than her left. It can't. When it touches the ground, her leg shatters and she faceplants. She turns and sees her right leg sparking and broken, the foot barely hanging on._

_Having no choice, Skye stands, putting her weight on the left portion of the break rather than the foot when needed._

_"Is your precious peace really worth it? Do you still wish to fight, now that you know what it will cost you? Can you live knowing your friends will leave you again?"_

_Skye tries to ignore him, focusing on moving forward. But she can't ignore those images . . . they're so real, like they already happened . . ._

_She comes up on a clearing that draws her attention to something below her. Her eyes widen as she drops to her knees and extends her hand._

_"NOOO!"_

Skye sat up in her bed, panting. The dream started fading immediately, but there were some images that stayed- Bumblebee and Optimus, the clearing. And that voice . . .

She rubbed her eyes, trying to bring her heart rate down. After a few moments, she checked her phone for the time. She tossed it onto a nearby pillow and yawned, despite it being late in the morning.

Her hands shook as she got ready to head out to the main area. That dream, it just felt so . . . real. The terror did, anyway. And what she saw looked so vivid, like something she had seen in real life. She hadn't had a dream-nightmare-like that in . . . years.

She shook her head. She couldn't let anyone see her this distressed. They had enough issues between the Decepticons and Dreadwing incoming and any number of other issues, certainly the last thing they needed was to worry about a human who had a scary dream.

When she was ready, emotionally as well as physically, she made her way out to the base's main area. Skye was surprised to see everyone here-they weren't scouting or otherwise engaged?

"Prime!" Skye about jumped out of her skin as Agent Fowler appeared on the main monitor. "What in blazes are your people doing out here?! We had an agreement, no collateral damage!"

"I am sorry, Agent Fowler." Optimus stepped to the side, allowing the agent a clear view of the 'Bots standing in a group behind him. "But all Autobots are present and accounted for."

"Then explain why I'm receiving reports of two jumbo-sized bots mixing it up just outside Omaha."

Ratchet shrugged. "Decepticons?"

Arcee nodded. "There has been plenty of infighting lately. Megatron can't seem to keep his ranks in line."

"Well, I'm just arriving on the scene. Take a look."

Much to Darkstorm's dismay and Skybreak's delight, a blue and gold Cybertronian who looked extremely similar to Skyquake was battling a white Autobot, Wheeljack. "This situation better be handled pronto!" Agent Fowler demanded before ending the transmission.

"Well, let's get in on the fight!" Bulkhead punctuated his sentence by slamming his fists together.

"But we should excercise restraint. We do not wish to harm any humans that might be in the area," Optimus informed. Ratchet activated a groundbridge and as the Autobots stepped through, Darkstorm slowly felt her tanks filled with dread.

Please, Jesus. . . Please be right.

**"Do not worry. I am with you,**" a gentle voice whispered and Darkstorm vented, her anxiety slowly fading away and being replaced with the peace that she felt before.

"You okay, Darkstorm?"

She softly smiled and turned to her charge. "Yes, I am alright."

Skye smiled back. "Mind if I come with?"

Optimus walked up to the two. "I believe it is best if you remain at the base. We will be entering combat upon arrival."

"Guess I'll be keeping the kids out of trouble, then." She started walking towards the platform, but stopped and turned to the 'Bots. "Stay safe, everyone." Her glance fell on her guardian before she resumed her course.

"Autobots, roll out!" Team Prime readied their weapons and entered the ground bridge.

* * *

When Team Prime reached the other side, Dreadwing and Wheeljack were still thoroughly engaged in their battle. Dreadwing, sensing that bots were approaching, looked over and saw them. His gaze met that of Darkstorm's.

"Dre'wan, stop," she said. "Please, we can sort all of this out. There's no need for violence."

Dreadwing's gaze saddened and he looked like he was about to reply before Wheeljack interrupted by landing a well-aimed punch at his jaw. "Oh, but I think there is," he said.

Skybreak growled and ran forward, firing at the Wrecker. "If you lay a digit on him, you'll have to deal with me." Darkstorm tried to stop him but he brushed her aside. The two of them began to fight as Bulkhead too prepared to join in the fray, defending his fellow Wrecker.

"Brother, stop!" Darkstorm yelled.

Seeing that the Autobots were otherwise engaged, Dreadwing took the opportunity to scan Agent Fowler's jet. "Goodbye, Dar'sain," he whispered before flying away.

When Bulkhead and Optimus finally pulled the pair apart, Wheeljack and Skybreak glared at each other and they began to yell and argue. Optimus tried to scold Wheeljack for causing such destruction to a populated area but the Wrecker would hear none of it. He was still livid at Skybreak for preventing him from avenging the death of a fellow Wrecker, Seaspray, at Dreadwing's hands. Skybreak bit back that he would gladly schedule a reunion and offline Wheeljack if he saw Dreadwing endangered again, to which Bulkhead replied that he'd have to go through him first.

Darkstorm placed a servo on her forehelm. "All of you, be quiet!" All the mechs immediately quieted down. "You," she turned to her brother, trying to hold onto the peace that she believed would leave her any moment. "You made a promise to me. You said you would stand by me, wherever my loyalties lied. Believe me, I wanted to protect Dreadwing just as much as you, but not if it causes this much dissension."

"Oh, I see. So you're just going to let him walk away after-?" Wheeljack was silenced as Darkstorm glared at him.

"What Dreadwing did was wrong but there is a fine line between justice and vengeance, Wheeljack. If you offline him, you'll be no better than he is."

"No better than he is? Darkstorm, can you hear yourself? This is Dreadwing we're talking about here. Not some war criminal!" Skybreak protested.

"I never said he was! But he is on a path of no return, Brother. Can't you see that? What will all this death solve? Nothing! And this cycle all began when Skyquake was unable to control that temper of his. Look, at what it has done. Another good mech terminated . . ." she took a deep breath and turned her gaze to the ground. She offlined her optics and desperately prayed for guidance.

Skybreak glared at his sister before his gaze softened as he heard a voice. . . **"Listen to your sister. She speaks the truth."** It was true that this war had brought so much death. . . It was upsetting to all of them. It was as if his optics were opened. His sister did care about Skyquake but she saw how corrupted he had become under Megatron. Skybreak knew how corrupted he was at one point. . . And he was only making things worse for her. "Sister, I'm sorry. I-"

"I realize you are upset, Brother, but that won't bring Skyquake back." Darkstorm had calmed down and turned to Wheeljack and Bulkhead. "I am so sorry. . . both of you. Dreadwing should have known better," she shook her helm and vented. "But that was in a different life. . . ." Her wings began to droop sadly at the thought of all of this.

Oh, Dre'wan. . . What have you done? More death won't bring your twin back.

Please, God, help him. . .

She vented and composed herself. "Now, you all can continue pursuing this fracas to its final stupidity or you can go back to base where Ratchet and I can patch you up and we can discuss this like civilized beings."

All three mechs nodded. "Yes, ma'am," Wheeljack said softly.

Optimus placed a comforting servo on her shoulder plating before comming base for a ground bridge. "Ratchet, prepare the med bay. We will be returning shortly."

A few moments later, a ground bridge opened. "_Darkstorm? Are. . . Are you going to be alright?" _Bumblebee asked.

"Yes. . . I'll be just fine," she answered though the scout could tell that the whole ordeal shook her up. She didn't even spare the human children or Raf, which was out of character for her, a second glance as she immediately walked into the med bay. She busied herself with all the repairs that she had to accomplish.

"Darkstorm?" Skye's shoulders sagged as the Seeker continued to work, ignoring her. "Bumblebee?" The scout turned to her before walking to the platform. "Did something happen out there?" Skye turned to Raf for a translation once the 'Bot finished.

"Skybreak and Wheeljack got into a fight and Dreadwing escaped. It took Optimus and Bulkhead to break it up, and things got kinda tense."

Skye nodded sadly, then saw Skybreak walking out of the main area. "One minute, please." She ran off the platform to catch the Seeker before he disappeared again. She ran up next to him. "Hey, wait a minute."

"I'm not in the mood, kid." He sounded annoyed, but not necessarily angry.

Skye picked up her pace and ran in front of him, stopping in front of him. He stopped as well, staring down at her. "I'm not in the mood for this either, but it has to be said. You get angry that Bumblebee killed the brother of your friend. You've already seen so much death and pain during your war. So it makes me wonder why, instead of getting angry at her, why you don't cherish Darkstorm. Your sister is all you've got, Skybreak. Never forget how lucky you are to have her." Skye sighed and started walking back towards the platform. She turned her head as she walked. "Ever."

"What was that about?" Jack tilted his head back as Skye joined the humans again, not giving up his seat on the couch.

"Eh, you know. Just slapping some sense into someone about a hundred times my size."

"Because that sounds like a great idea."

Skye smiled. "It's fine. He knows if he lays a finger on me, or any of us really, Darkstorm will kick his aft."

"You said it," Miko chuckled. "And I think we'd all love to see that."

Raf half smiled before turning to Skye. "You think 'Storm is going to be okay?"

She smiled reassuringly at him. "Absolutely. She has Bumblebee and us to make sure of it. She just needs some time for things to cool down."

The children's conversation was paused as Agent Fowler walked into the base with a stern countenance. "You! Loose cannon! Your cowboy antics almost blew our cover," Agent Fowler said, referring to Wheeljack.

"Cover?" Wheeljack asked, slightly confused.

"We're robots in disguise, Jackie," Bulkhead explained. "You need an Earth-based vehicle mode outside of here."

"That spaceship you shot down, not Earth-based! Had to jump through some big hoops to get it hauled out of plain sight! You need to keep a tighter leash on your people, Prime."

Wheeljack glared down at the government agent. " 'A tighter leash'? Let me clarify, tiny-"

"Jackie," Bulkhead warned.

"I'm not one of Optimus Prime's people," the Wrecker finished before walking off. Optimus began to placate Agent Fowler as Bulkhead ran after his fellow Wrecker, trying to calm him down. Darkstorm shook her helm. Mechs. . . How she hated dealing with them, at times.

"Hey, Darkstorm. You hanging on?" Darkstorm turned to see Drift.

She smiled. "I am now. The med bay has always been a place where I could think and after today. . . well, I just needed a bit of time to sort out my thoughts."

"Sorry to hear about Dreadwing, doll," Shiv said.

"It is fine. What's done is done. Besides, I have had some help," Darkstorm smiled softly, thinking of Jesus and God. "God will see me through, I am certain of it."

The miners and Vehicon exchanged a confused look. "God?" Jolt asked.

"The human Primus, I suppose you could say. He. . . He saved my life."

"Human Primus, huh?" Drift smiled. "Sounds a lot better than our Primus . . ." He vented. "He hasn't lifted a single digit to stop this war."

". . . which is why I've chosen to place my trust elsewhere," Darkstorm smiled more widely before asking, "Now, the reason why you're standing in the med bay is because you are injured, yes?"

"Well, I ain't feeling too good, sweetspark. Think you can work your magic on me?" Jolt grinned teasingly.

Drift rolled his optics at his friend's behavior. "We're fine but instead of holing yourself in here, I think you should check on your charge. She seemed worried."

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component guiltily. "You're right. I should. . ." She began to walk over to the humans before turning back. "Thank you, Drift. All of you. You're good friends," she smiled.

"Anytime," Shiv smiled as Drift simply grinned sheepishly and Jolt smirked and winked at the Seeker femme.

Darkstorm walked up to the humans and Bumblebee and vented.

"You alright?" Skye smiled kindly at her guardian as she stopped, a hint of sorrow in her eyes.

"I am now, but I wished to apologize. . . for my abrupt behavior earlier. I shouldn't have ignored you," Darkstorm half smiled.

"Don't worry about it. I understand needing space. And considering all that's happened, I'd say you're entitled to a little time to think."

"That still does not excuse my actions. Despite all that has happened, I should know better than to push people away," Darkstorm caught Bumblebee's concerned gaze. "Especially if they're only trying to help."

Skye shrugged. "Eh, no one's perfect." She smirked as she examined Darkstorm's face as she looked at the scout, and realized it had been some time since they had time together. "Hey, Jack, does that game have room for more players? What do you say to some four-way racing?" It wasn't much and didn't afford much privacy, but she didn't want to be so obvious as to tell the 'Bots to go spend some one-on-one time together.

Jack caught on to Skye's plan and smiled. "Yeah, it does. You up for a game, Darkstorm?"

"I suppose," she smiled seeing how excited Bumblebee immediately became.

_"Totally!_" Bumblebee beeped rapidly before gleefully taking one of the Cybertronian sized controllers.

Skye smirked as she picked up a controller. "I'll try to take it easy on you. I hate to see grown . . . 'Bots . . . cry."

"Oh, we'll see about that," Raf smirked and took the other controller from Jack. "Bee's a master at this."

_"We'll see who will make who cry after this,"_ Bumblebee chuckled and chose his avatar. The others likewise did the same.

"Oh come on, Raf! Team human here, you wouldn't gang up on the new girl, would you?"

"Sorry, but I'm on Team 'Bee," Raf said and smiled widely as Bumblebee ruffled the boy's hair.

"Fine. I would say I'm Team Darkstorm, but . . ." She turned to her guardian. "I'm not sure how inclined you would be to beat your boyfriend."

"Oh, more inclined than you think," Darkstorm turned to her "boyfriend" with a smirk.

"Alright then. So, I guess you're on your own Jack."

"Fine with me. I don't need a team to win."

"Oh, them's fightin' words!"

Darkstorm chuckled as the game started and all their avatars took off. Miko smirked and beckoned the miners and Vehicons over. "My money's on 'Bee."

"I usually don't bet but. . . I'd say Darkstorm would win," Drift replied as he watched the Seeker femme brush past Jack. The teen in question let out a frustrated groan as he tried to regain momentum.

Skye laughed triumphantly as she used the PITT maneuver on Bumblebee. "Probably the safer bet, Drift!"

Bumblebee stared at the screen with wide optics before beeping a few notes in distress. _"How-? But-?"_ He turned to Darkstorm's charge with a glare. _"Oh, it's on."_

"Better pay attention to the game, 'Bee," Raf laughed as he passed his guardian.

"You shouldn't play with fire if you can't take the heat." Skye said with a smile, leaning forward in focus.

Darkstorm smirked as she approached Raf and Skye. Darkstorm's vehicle avatar followed behind Raf for a few moments before she gained speed and bumped into the back of his vehicle, causing him to spin out of the way.

Raf gaped at the screen. "Storm!"

"You just got served!" Miko laughed.

"Now, I'm coming for you, Skye," Darkstorm taunted as she raced forward.

"Ohoh, I'd like to see you try to take me out!"

_"Go on, 'Storm! I know you can do it,"_ Bumblebee cheered.

Darkstorm grinned and continued to pursue Skye. She trailed for about a quarter of the course, her charge always seeming to evade her until Darkstorm saw her opportunity to act. She turned sharply to the left and managed to come up alongside Skye's vehicle. She turned sharply to the right and knocked Skye aside as she zoomed towards the finish line.

"No fair, Darkstorm! I call a foul!" She said jokingly as she tried to get her car back on the road.

"Oh, but it is quite fair," Darkstorm giggled and grinned widely as she crossed the finish line. Bumblebee also grinned and grabbed onto Darkstorm's servos, twirling her in a circle.

_"That was amazing, 'Storm!"_

"Thank you, 'Bee," Darkstorm grinned as they came to a stop.

"Well played." Skye set her controller down and laid back. "You know, sometime we need to have a real race. Bumblebee against me in my Jeep. The others can join if they like, though flying is totally cheating."

Darkstorm immediately pouted. "Flying is not cheating! It's-It's perfectly fair!"

_"Sure,"_ Bumblebee chuckled. _"A U2 who can go up to five hundred miles per hour competing with automobiles that can go one hundred and twenty miles per hour."_

"Well," Darkstorm grinned impishly, "I suppose if you put it that way. . ."

"Not to mention, planes don't experience the same handicaps as land-based vehicles. Like, you know, mountains, curves in roads, the like."

Darkstorm rolled her optics and chuckled. "Fine, I suppose I'll have to forfeit."

_"But I'd love to race, Skye!"_ Bumblebee grinned.

"Excellent! I'm fine with bringing passengers, too. You don't have to be totally left out, Darkstorm. But I do have one condition, Bumblebee." Skye smiled. "No straight roads- we need somewhere with curves, where there's a challenge. I don't do the whole drag racing thing."

"You're on!"

"Holoforms. Of course," Darkstorm grinned.

"And can we join in on this party, doll?" Shiv asked. "We may not be very experienced with racing but it sounds like a whole lot of fun and we're all grounders here."

"Fine with me."

"Well, I think we all know who's going to win this race," Jolt smirked.

Drift facepalmed as Shiv chuckled. "I wouldn't be too sure about that, homie. Ya might just get left behind if I'm racing," he grinned. "Try not to choke on my dirt too much."

"I'd like to see you try," Jolt said defiantly.

"Femmes, femmes, please. You're both pretty," Drift pinched the bridge of his upper facial plating.

"I'll make sure to get a rear tire cover for my Jeep you all like, 'cause that's all you'll see of me." Skye looked between the miners, Vehicon and Bumblebee.

"We'll see about that, little lady," Shiv chuckled.

Darkstorm giggled at her friends' shenanigans before she saw her brother out of the corner of her optic. "Excuse me for a moment," Darkstorm said softly.

Bumblebee stopped her with an outstretched servo, concern in his optics. _"Storm-"_

"I'll be fine, 'Bee. He's my brother, remember? He won't hurt me."

Bumblebee's facial plating darkened as he gestured to the scarring between her wings. _"That's a lie and we both know it."_

"Bee, I said I would be fine. We're in the base anyway. If I need help, you can reach me easily," Darkstorm reassured as she walked towards her brother. When she reached him, she gasped softly as she saw a rare emotion being displayed across his facial plating: sadness. "Brother? Are you alright?"

"Yeah. I just-" Skybreak vented. "I've been thinking. . . about what happened earlier? And I've come to apologize. I did make a promise to you and I'm so sorry for not properly cherishing you. You're all I got, 'Storm." He half smiled. "I shouldn't let any war change that."

Darkstorm smiled widely and embraced her brother. "Of course. . . I forgive you, dearest brother." She paused before asking, "But, whatever made you change your mind?"

"Your charge may have had something to do with it," Skybreak answered as Darkstorm shot her charge a look to which Skye simply grinned innocently. Darkstorm shook her helm and turned back to her brother as he spoke again. "That and I think I know what you were talking about. . . with that voice."

"You. . . You heard Him too?"

Skybreak smiled and nodded. "He told me to listen and that you were telling the truth so. . . here I am."

Darkstorm felt like she would weep for joy. "Thank God," she grinned as she embraced her brother again.

* * *

Dreadwing knelt before Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, as an odd sense of familiarity washed over him. It seemed not that long ago that his twin and he were on the Nemesis, new recruits to the war effort. Oh, how he longed for those days. . .

**"Leave. Go back to Skybreak and Darkstorm. There is nothing good for you here,"** a voice told him but he brushed it aside. His thoughts had been more turbulent as of late, though he knew not why. Perhaps, the death of his twin was affecting him more than he realized.

"Lord Megatron, I live to serve," Dreadwing said.

"Rise, Dreadwing," Megatron said as the blue and gold Seeker obeyed. "Loyalty such as yours is a rare commodity."

"Mine runs deep and true. Yet, it is not loyalty alone that has brought me here."

Megatron scrutinized the Seeker. "Oh?"

"I seek justice for the death of my beloved twin," Dreadwing said, fighting to keep his voice steady.

"And. . . how did you learn of his passing?"

"My twin and I shared a split spark. A metal but two halves of the same life force. Even across the galaxy, I sensed when he emerged from stasis and when. . . his spark was no more."

"I offer my deepest condolences for your loss, Dreadwing," Megatron said with fake pity. "But believe me when I say that the Autobots will pay for the wrong they have committed."

Dreadwing clenched his servos and his red optics seemed to glow with rage. "By the pit, every last accursed Autobot on this world will pay!"

* * *

Darkstorm spent that afternoon in peace, for once. Her brother's mood had improved, thank God, and she mainly spent her time playing more video games and talking with her human friends. It certainly did ease her mind about all that had been occurring. Miko did seem a bit concerned about the absence of her guardian but she quickly reassured that all was well. Bulkhead was simply helping Wheeljack to calm down as they both repaired his ship. Surely, nothing could happen. Right?

But, of course, she was wrong.

When Miko went outside to join them, she found that they were gone. And just when they began to check the comm links to try to contact them, they received a distress signal from Bulkhead.

"Bulkhead? Bulkhead? Report. This is Optimus Prime," the leader of the Autobots attempted to make contact but there was no reply.

"Can we get a trace on the distress signal?" Skye asked worriedly.

"Yeah, is Bulk' alright?" Miko asked, just as worried.

"Yes, we can. He is in a remote ravine in Eastern Europe and I will go immediately to ensure that he is not in any danger, Miko," Optimus promised the femme as a ground bridge opened.

"Optimus, wait! Let me go with you. You saw what happened between Wheeljack and Dreadwing. Please, let me go so I can talk some sense into Dreadwing," Darkstorm said.

"Darkstorm, I cannot place you in danger, especially if it turns out that this is a trap. You must stay here."

"Which is why I'm going with her," Skybreak said, arms crossed.

"Why? So you can attack Wheeljack and Bulkhead again?" Arcee asked.

"I admit my actions yesterday were. . . uncalled for. I realize that now. But I'll stand by my sister whether you agree or not," Skybreak smirked. "Besides, if you're that worried, you can always monitor my comm link. It's probably what you usually do anyway."

"Please, Optimus. If there is a chance I can change Dreadwing's mind. . ." Darkstorm looked at her leader with pleading optics and unspoken words passed between them. Optimus knew she couldn't bear to lose another companion.

"Very well," Optimus vented.

Ratchet activated the ground bridge and Optimus went through. Darkstorm embraced Bumblebee and waved goodbye to her team before she too opened. Skybreak however, paused before his gaze met that of a certain human. "Thanks for helping me get my aft in gear, kid," Skybreak told Skye.

The femme smirked. "Just don't make me do it again and we're ducky."

Skybreak grinned and nodded his helm before entering after his sister. The three bots cautiously studied the ravine before they found a large pile of boulders. From what Skybreak could tell, they were caused by a landslide or. . . an explosion. Makes sense, he thought. Dreadwing always was an expert on explosives.

Darkstorm gasped softly as she found an Autobot life signal underneath the rubble. "Optimus, look," she said, pointing out the discovery to Optimus.

"Wheeljack," Optimus vented and shook his helm. He then began to pull away the boulders with Skybreak helping as much as he could. Eventually, a slightly dented, but otherwise alright, Wrecker emerged.

"If you will not take orders from me, that is one thing. But when you place one of my Autobots in danger. . ." Optimus sternly began.

"Hey, Bulkhead was a Wrecker far before he ever joined your little team. I'm sure he's fine."

"Sure he's fine? Look, I don't know what on earth possessed you to go on such an escapade but Bulkhead is most certainly not alright. I've known Dreadwing far longer than you have and so I know what he is capable of," Darkstorm shook her helm. "You two should not have come here."

"He offlined Seaspray. Me and Bulk' were all too happy to answer the challenge," Wheeljack argued.

Darkstorm pinched the bridge of her upper facial plating and shook her helm. "Mechs. . ." she muttered before turning to the Wrecker again. "If we find Bulkhead and he is offline, then it will be on your helm for dragging him with you."

Optimus paused as he received a comm from Ratchet and the other bots until looked at him curiously. "Understood," he nodded his helm as he ended the transmission. "Bulkhead's signal is on the move. Three kliks to the south."

"Well, I guess we'd get started," Skybreak remarked.

Wheeljack glared slightly at the mech, still sore about their previous meeting. "Actually, the Jackhammer is right over there. It'd be much quicker to take my ship, chief."

"And I think it'd be much quicker for me to fly there on my own, chief," Skybreak glared back. "So thanks, but no thanks."

"Brother, please," Darkstorm hissed warningly.

"I actually think the course of action best, Darkstorm," Optimus said, inwardly fearing another violent confrontation which would only make matters worse. "Skybreak, we will rendezvous with you there."

Skybreak nodded and immediately took to the skies at full speed, his alt mode soon disappearing from sight.

"Any idea what crawled up his tailpipe and died?" Wheeljack asked Darkstorm wryly.

"You've upset him. Despite Dreadwing's previous actions, my brother still cares deeply for him. . . as do I. But it does not help that my brother rarely lets things go," Darkstorm vented and entered Wheeljack's ship. Optimus followed suite and soon they were off.

* * *

Skybreak flew towards the area faster, relaxing slightly as he felt air rush past his frame. He didn't mean to upset his sister, but something about the mech just rubbed him the wrong way. Wreckers, he mentally rolled his optics and snorted. What did he expect? The green one was tolerable but this Wheeljack? The mech was lucky that he had such an abundant amount of self-control.

After a few more moments of silent seething, he came upon the intended location. He transformed and landed, spotting the green Wrecker. He's in an even worse situation than I thought, Skybreak thought. Bulkhead was tied to a stack of metal shipping crates with one of Dreadwing's bombs strapped to his chassis.

"Skybreak, what a pleasant surprise," a voice behind him remarked. Skybreak smirked and turned around to face his childhood friend.

"Dreadwing, long time, no see. It's good to see you again."

"Likewise. However, your presence among the Autobots is most intriguing. What do you expect to accomplish among their ranks?"

"I . . . well, I made a promise. That and I kinda had the truth knocked into me," Skybreak smiled.

"The truth? Do explain."

Skybreak took a deep breath before continuing. "I know you're hurting, Dreads. Believe me, I do. I cared about 'Quake too, you know. But Darkstorm is right. There's no need for all this." Dreadwing clenched his servos angrily and moved to turn away before Skybreak placed a servo on his shoulder plating. "Come with me. 'Storm's worried sick about you and . . . I've found that being with the Autobots is a lot better than staying with Megatron. The Decepticons . . . aren't as honorable as they once were."

**"Listen to him and stop this madness, Dreadwing. Listen to Me. There is nothing good left for you there-"**

Silence! Dreadwing inwardly raged. I will not listen to this tripe any longer. Skybreak has gone mad. I will have justice for the death of my twin. I swear it! "You dare question my loyalty?" Dreadwing turned to glare at Skybreak. "I will not cease my actions and you are a fool if you think otherwise. I will see to it that all the Autobots pay for what they have done."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Skybreak vented. "I guess you'll have to learn it the hard way. . . just like I did." He glanced at Dreadwing, determined. "But, before I go, I need you to let the Wrecker go. I intend to keep a promise."

"And . . . if I refuse?" Dreadwing asked coldly and drew one of his swords.

"Dreadwing, please. Don't do this."

"I see no other course of action to take. You and Dar'sain hold a special place in my spark," Dreadwing whispered before his facial plating darkened. "But I will not let you rob me of this." Skybreak jumped back as Dreadwing swung at him with his weapon.

"I guess it's the hard way then," Skybreak muttered as he activated his cannons, mainly using them to block Dreadwing's blows. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt him. The two carried on like this until a clear voice caused Dreadwing to stop. Wheeljack moved to try to diffuse the bomb strapped to Bulkhead's chassis and Darkstorm walked towards the two.

"Dre'wan, why are you doing this?" Darkstorm asked softly, her optics wrought with sorrow. Those were the very same optics that melted Dreadwing's spark. . . It was not too long ago, at least it didn't feel like it. . . Oh, how he remembered. . .

_"Dre'wan?"_

_Dreadwing paused from his musings as he looked into the innocent blue optics of his friend. Despite her and her brother's living conditions, she surprisingly seemed content. They barely had any energon and had to pickpocket in order to just survive. . . It nearly broke Dreadwing's spark. He had suggested that Skybreak enter the gladiatorial pits like him and his twin but Darkstorm adamantly refused. But in the pits, at least mechs were well fed and were able to take care of their families . . . if they weren't offlined, that is. "What is it, Dar'sain?"_

_"We'll always be friends with you and Skyquake, won't we?"_

_The question startled Dreadwing at first but his facial plating soon melted into a smile. "Of course. I'll always be here if you should need me, little storm." Darkstorm was several years younger than her brother, Dreadwing, and his twin and so, when no one was looking of course, he often called her by the many nicknames he had bestowed upon her._

_"Promise?"_

_"I promise." And the bright grin that illuminated the tiny alleyway was all Dreadwing needed._

"Little storm . . ." Dreadwing slowly lowered his weapon. "That's what I used to call you, was it not?"

Darkstorm smiled weakly and nodded. "Yes. Little storm. . . I remember now."

Dreadwing looked at her, his anger morphing into sorrow. "That is when I promised you . . . that my twin and I would always be there for you, wasn't it?"

Darkstorm nodded and moved towards Dreadwing. "Yes, it was. And. . . do you intend to keep that promise to me?" Dreadwing said nothing but stared at Darkstorm with a conflicted spark. "Please, Dre'wan. Come back with us. Optimus Prime is fighting for peace, isn't that what we always wanted? Peace and equality? If you stay with Megatron, you will only find more death and pain. . . Please."

**"Listen to her, Dreadwing,"** the voice said.

Dreadwing seemed to soften. "Dar'sain . . . my loyalty to you has not changed." Just as quickly, much to Darkstorm's dismay, his facial plating became cold again. "But, my loyalty to my twin is stronger. I will see that justice is served . . . I cannot allow you or your brother to stand in my way." Dreadwing retrieved a small controller, the controller to the bomb planted on Bulkhead. "I'm sorry."

"Put the controller down, Dreadwing," Optimus said, a cannon trained to the back of his helm.

"Go ahead. Shoot me. I will gladly sacrifice myself to avenge my brother!" Dreadwing spat.

"Then we will, in turn, gladly join the Allspark with our brother," Optimus said solemnly.

"If this is to be the end, then I am glad I will have seen you one last time, Dreadwing," Darkstorm smiled softly. I just wish I could have seen Bumblebee one last time. . .

"I'm sorry," Dreadwing repeated and moved to activate the bomb but his servo stopped millimeters from the controller. The Seeker slumped downward as his optics offlined. Optimus lowered his arm and deactivated his cannon. Darkstorm immediately knelt down and checked his vital signs, venting slightly in relief as she found that he was not offline, but unconscious. Skybreak and Darkstorm shared a sad look as Optimus deactivated the bomb.

"Optimus to base. Requesting a ground bridge," Optimus commed.

"Hey, you going to be okay?" Skybreak asked his sister.

Darkstorm smiled shakily and nodded. "There is still hope for him, Brother. I know there is. . . I won't give up on him just like I didn't give up on you."

"You've always been the stubborn one," Skybreak smiled and wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders. "Come on. Let's head home."

* * *

Skye and Miko were both fidgeting on the couch, each worried for their guardians, Miko more so than her friend. Jack and Raf had been trying to cheer the girls up with video games and small talk, but it didn't seem to help much.

The ground bridge opened and Miko shot up from her spot, running to the railing. Optimus walked through first followed by the Wreckers then the Seekers.

"Bulkhead!" Miko ran with more speed than one would have thought possible off the platform and collided with her guardian's pedde, wrapping it in the biggest hug she could muster.

Skye more calmly walked to the rail, smiling at Darkstorm, who looked rather down. "Welcome back," she said with a hopeful smile.

"It's good to be home," Darkstorm smiled, trying to be optimistic in the presence of her charge. "I hope you didn't miss me too much."

"Oh, you know, I think I just have a few gray hairs from worry. Nothing to be concerned about." Her smile dropped. "You alright?"

Darkstorm vented but nodded. "Yes, I am fine."

"Nunono, don't give me 'fine.' I know all too well that's the cheap cop-out for 'not at all.' "

"I suppose I should have known by now then?" Darkstorm smiled before venting once more. "The meeting with Dreadwing went badly, to say the least."

"To say the least?" Skybreak walked up and interrupted. "He threatened to blow us sky high. Luckily, Optimus knocked him out so we could deactivate the bombs. . ." He shook his helm. "But it looks like ol' Dreads really has gone off the deep end."

Skye's eyes widened. "What?! He almost blew you up?! He'd better hope I don't meet him. No one messes with my 'Bots."

"He is only acting out of grief, Skye. I am sure he will come to his senses . . . soon enough," Darkstorm reassured softly.

_"And he had better hope I don't meet him either,"_ Bumblebee crossed his arms. _"No one messes with you and gets away with it on my watch."_

Darkstorm smiled and her cooling fans subtly activated. "I appreciate that, 'Bee, but as I said before, he isn't in his right mind. And . . . for a few moments, I saw the old Dreadwing. I have to believe that he can change."

"Yeah, well . . . let's just hope he doesn't pull something like this again. If Optimus and I weren't there, you'd have joined the Allspark already," Skybreak said.

"He wouldn't have hurt me. I know he wouldn't," Darkstorm said hesitantly, though disbelieving her own words.

_"Well, you're safe now. And that's all that matters,"_ Bumblebee smiled. _"Raf and I were starting to get worried, you know."_

"Well, then I apologize for making you worry," Darkstorm smiled at Bumblebee before turning to Raf. "But you should know, I've been through far worse."

"I-I know," Raf smiled.

Darkstorm smiled down at the youngling before turning to her charge. "So there is no need to worry. Despite everything that has happened, I am fine. Truly. And I know God will see us through this." Darkstorm glanced over at Miko, happily talking with the Wreckers. "Besides, the mission was not a complete failure. We saved Bulkhead and that surely must account for something."

"Yeah, well . . . let's just hope this mission can be completed fully one day and that Dreadwing will come back," Skybreak vented.

* * *

Dreadwing stared out at the slowly darkening night sky, his mind once more swirling with nigh deafening thoughts. When had things ever become so complicated? It should be simple. He would destroy the Autobots and the Decepticons would be one step closer to winning the war yet . . . now they had joined them. Skybreak bravely stood in his path, defending a cause which he had previously adamantly denounced. And Darkstorm . . .

_"If this is to be the end, then I am glad I will have seen you one last time, Dreadwing."_

He almost terminated her. He almost terminated all of them and . . . what scared him was that at the time, he held no scruples to committing such an act.

He shook his helm and transformed, feeling at least a little comfort as he flew. Perhaps, he would find some solace at the site of his brother's death. He landed in the canyon and softly walked up to the pile of boulders marking where his brother's corpse lay, or so he supposed.

"Skri'quei. . . My brother. . ." Dreadwing whispered. "You cared for them as much as I. What would you have done?"

Like Dreadwing expected there was no answer. He vented and moved to turn away before something caught his optic. To other bots, it would look like a youngling butchering the main dialect of Cybertronian but to Dreadwing, it was a carefully written message in Seeker Cant. "Brother." And he knew only one person could have placed it there.

"Dar'sain," he smiled softly. He remembered he taught her the Seeker's native tongue back on Cybertron. Her brother, of course, was never interested in academics but Darkstorm desperately wished to learn all she could about Seeker Cant and Vos, the birthplace of the Seeker race. So she had been here too. . .

"Skri'quei . . . I have never felt more conflicted in my entire life cycle. I used to believe my loyalties held true but I feel as if they are severed. . . broken. I am true to our lord and master and yet. . . my loyalty towards Skri'brak and Dar'sain are pulling me away. What am I to do?"

**"Forgive. . ."** the voice from before whispered to him. It did not belong to his brother and yet, Dreadwing felt an odd sense of peace.

"How could I possibly-? They offlined my twin. A part of myself is gone! I will never forgive them for what they have done!" Dreadwing argued.

**"Then you will destroy everything that you have left, my son. You will never heal and you will live out the rest of your days in torment."**

"The rest of my days. . . I am already in torment," Dreadwing muttered but his spark considered His words.

If the voice was correct, then he knew he would have to swallow his pride and forgive the accursed Autobots, but that day wasn't today. His spark could not bear it yet.

"I will. . . consider this course of action," Dreadwing whispered. He moved to leave before, on impulse, he thought of something. With a sharpened digit, he scratched in the rock a small message before taking to the skies once more.

"Sister," it read and then beneath it. "Loyalty and forgiveness."

**A/N: Well, we hoped y'all liked this new chappie :) Me and blondie certainly loved writing it. And oh… all the drama T.T Dreadwing really needs to come to his senses soon. Also, I'd like to point out that I tried to make the segment with him similar to a situation we've all been in. God wants us to do something that seems impossible but will really help us later and we end up ignoring him. I know I've been there. But God still loves Dreadwing like God still loves us. We can never fall too hard, so far, so fast, for God to pick us up and nothing we have, can, or will ever do will be able to separate us from God's love if He is our Lord and Savior.**

**Also, the first person to catch the Dragonheart and MegaMind reference within this chapter gets extra cookies. XD**

**Theme Song: Nine Lashes- Anthem for the Lonely**

**A/N: Hey guys~ so, Dreadwing is finally in town, eh? Can't wait to see what happens next with our Seeker group here. And I hope I'm not the only one curious to see how that race will turn out, Skye in a normal Jeep (maybe a little suped-up) versus the Autobots. Should be interesting, so don't miss the next chapter! As always, love and cookies for you all~**

**"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6: 14-15.**

**And this verse is dedicated to two very special twin boys who I just found out are reading my story. :D "People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them." Mark 10: 13-16.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers Prime or its characters. They belong to Hasbro and the Hub. We do however own our OCs. Dream'sRealm owns Drift, Shiv, Jolt, Darkstorm, and Skybreak. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher.**

Darkstorm sat next to Skye in her jeep, watching as all the other Autobots came up to the starting line. Skybreak too was in the jeep. His holoform, a muscular young man with spiked up black hair and sunglasses looked out the window before turning to Skye. "We getting started or what? I want to crush some dreams here," he smirked.

"Patience, Brother," Darkstorm giggled.

"Yeah, hold your horses. I have to give them all a fair chance at winning." Skye smirked back.

"Winning?" Skybreak scoffed. "I think we all know who's going to win." He grinned. "Us."

"It's nice to see how humble you've become," Darkstorm raised an eyebrow and snorted.

"Oh, it's more a vote of confidence than arrogance. And I'd like to think well-placed confidence." Skye gripped the steering wheel and looked out her mirrors and windows at the other 'Bots. Everything seemed to be ready. A very unenthused Ratchet in his holoform stood on the finish line.

"Ready?" All the Autobots revved their engines and waited for the signal. "Go." A great cloud of dust was kicked up as all the vehicles took off, it seemed even Optimus was taking part of this little race. All of them the Autobots readily agreed to participate, except Wheeljack that is. The so-called "loose cannon" had decided that he would continue on alone. It made sense however, seeing his hesitance to follow orders or be part of the team. Darkstorm felt slightly saddened for Bulkhead and Miko who seemed depressed at his departure but she was glad that they were able to participate.

Darkstorm grinned slightly as she felt the vehicle accelerate. Skye seemed to be getting into the spirit of it, laughing at each bump in the road or swerve to avoid being hit by the others. She didn't mind playing dirty a bit herself, nudging Bumblebee and Bulkhead in attempts to get past them.

Raf, Miko, and Jack likewise were getting into the race as they attempted to pass each other. Bumblebee swerved slightly as they came to a sharp turn in the road and Miko laughed maniacally as Bulkhead and she pushed ahead. "Eat our dust!" she exclaimed.

Bumblebee let out a few whirrs of outrage before speeding up and coming alongside them. While they were distracted, Jack and Arcee pushed ahead towards the front of the pack. Meanwhile, Drift, Jolt, and Shiv hung around the middle of the group. Jolt let out an a yell of frustration as Shiv went in front of him, causing a barrage of dust to cloud his windshield. Drift chuckled at the two and mostly kept to himself just as Optimus was doing, not wishing to play dirty.

Skybreak smirked to himself as Skye's jeep began to pass Arcee. They would soon be at the head of the group.

Skye hunched forward and shifted to a higher gear, hoping to simply overtake Arcee after the next turn. "And here we go!" She drifted through the turn, not as neatly as seen in the movies but it still got the job done. She came out of the turn at a higher speed than the two-wheeler, and easily passed her. Skye laughed triumphantly.

Arcee accepted the challenge and sped up, Bumblebee and Bulkhead hot on her tail. She managed to come up next to Skye's jeep but she couldn't pass her. On the final leg of the race, the Autobots pushed themselves as hard as they could. Arcee sped up as fast as she could go and looked like she would finally pass Skye. Skye however had other plans. She swerved to her left and bumped into Arcee, causing her to lose her balance. She fought to maintain control as Skye passed the finish line.

"See? I told you we'd win," Skybreak smirked widely.

Darkstorm giggled and rolled her eyes. "Excellent job, Skye. You're a natural."

Skye nodded to her guardian. "Thank you, Darkstorm. And hey, what's this 'we' winning, Skybreak? I did all the work!" She smiled jokingly.

"Yeah?" Skybreak chuckled and leaned back in his seat. "Well, I lent emotional support so, technically, I did do some work."

"I'm not sure you supported so much as just frowned at everybody else." She laughed as she found an out-of-the-way spot to stop the Jeep.

"Which is supportive," Skybreak smirked. "I knew you had it in you, kid."

"Why thank you." Skye unhooked her seatbelt and sighed before looking at her shaking hands. "That was fun!"

"Indeed," Darkstorm grinned. "Which reminds me, one day Skybreak and I should treat you to a race of our own. I'm sure you'd love it."

She smiled brightly. "That would be awesome!"

"Yeah, but I think she'd prefer to fly with me, Sister. We both know who flies the fastest out of the two us," Skybreak grinned.

"Oh, truly?" Darkstorm raised an eyebrow. "Because I can recall me always winning those races, Brother."

"In your dreams, maybe," he scoffed.

"We'll see then," she smirked. Darkstorm smiled as she saw the others walk over.

Bumblebee smiled. _"I've never seen driving like that before. Good job, Skye!"_

"Ditto," Arcee smiled. "Good job, kid."

Skye shrugged shyly under all the praise. "Thank you, everyone. It was just nice to have others to race rather than just myself."

"That certainly was fun," Drift smiled. "It was nice, having a day off."

"You all certainly deserved it," Optimus smiled. "I believe it was beneficial for all of us to relax for a short while."

"Speaking of which, we have permission to have a little race of our own, chief?" Skybreak grinned.

"What sort of race, Skybreak?" Optimus asked curiously.

Skybreak smirked and deactivated his holoform. "All you grounders had your chance. I say me and 'Storm get a shot at glory."

"But now, Brother?"

"What? You afraid of getting beat by me. . . again?"

Darkstorm glared at her brother before smirking herself, deactivating her holoform. "Very well. If you wish to lose so early in the day, then I will happily oblige."

Skye looked at her guardian. "Let's do this!"

"So are you coming with me or Mr. I-Am-the-Master-of-the-Sky over there?"

"I heard that!"

"I'll go with you, Darkstorm."

"Guess I'm going it alone? Like that, huh?" Skybreak pretended to pout.

Darkstorm rolled her optics and playfully pushed her brother before transforming. She opened the hatch and silently invited Skye to hop in. The femme quickly did so, scrambling inside as though it were a race to the cockpit. Darkstorm chuckled at her charge's actions and gently closed the hatch, making sure her charge was securely fastened inside before she took off, her brother right behind her. "Now, get ready to have some real fun," Darkstorm grinned as she twisted and twirled acrobatically across the sky, zooming past her brother.

"Enjoy it while it lasts, Sister. Because I will win this!" Skybreak taunted as he caught up to her. Skybreak elevated himself a few thousand feet before dropping down rapidly and landing in front of his sister's path. She turned on her side to avoid impact and swooped downwards, laughing gleefully.

"You'll have to do better than that, Sky!"

"Oh, trust me. I will," he chuckled. "Last one to that canyon's spoiled energon!"

He zoomed forward and Darkstorm happily followed, both of them performing several complex acrobatic maneuvers as they tried to outdo the other. There was never any bumping involved, however. Her brother never did have the heart to whenever they raced. Instead, he would try to block her way. Darkstorm smiled, being reminded of when they would do this when they were younglings. Such happy times those were. . .

Finally, the canyon was in their sights. Skybreak put all his energy into his thrusters and moved ahead as Darkstorm followed suite. The F-16 and the U2 were inches apart from each other and at a current tie. Darkstorm smirked and pulled away from her brother before twirling in front of him and reaching the canyon first.

"What was that about me losing, Brother?" Darkstorm grinned.

"Beginner's luck," he grumbled.

"Ah, don't tell me you're a sore loser, Skybreak." Skye laughed. "Great job, Darkstorm!"

"Why, thank you," Darkstorm grinned as she traveled back towards the others. "Skybreak and I taught ourselves at the beginning but. . ." she trailed off, her voice suddenly becoming softer.

"But what?" Skye asked softly.

"Dreadwing and his twin managed to teach us more advanced aerial maneuvers." Skybreak became silent at the mention of Dreadwing. "You see, they were born in Vos, the home of the Seeker race, unlike us and had access to a proper education. My brother stopped at aerial acrobatics but Dreadwing moved on to teach me Seeker cant and Cybertronian history."

Skye looked at her feet. "Your mentor . . . so that's why this whole thing has been so tough. Darkstorm, I'm so sorry . . . I didn't know."

"More than a mentor. . . A friend. . . and brother," Darkstorm smiled. "But there is no need to apologize. Dre'wan," she corrected herself. "Dreadwing will return to us. I am sure of it."

Skye smiled. "I hope so." Her smile broadened into one of mischief. "So what do you say we beat your brother back to the others?"

Darkstorm internally grinned. "Excellent idea." She called out to her brother, "Oh, Bruda? Let's see if you can beat us back, that is if you're not afraid of losing." She took off at full speed.

"Oh, you're on," Skybreak smirked and also took off. In the end, of course, Darkstorm reached the other first.

"You were so cheating that time!" he grumbled.

"My dear brother, I never cheat. Maybe you've lost because you've become slower in your old age," Darkstorm smirked.

"We're only five voors apart! Don't tell me I'm old!"

Darkstorm laughed as Bumblebee came up to congratulate her._ "Good job up there, 'Storm. I knew you'd win."_

"Was there ever any doubt?" Miko grinned. "She could kick Skybreak's tailpipe any day."

Skybreak glared at the femme. "I heard that, fleshie."

Darkstorm rolled her optics. "Ignore him. He's a sore loser. Always has been, I'm afraid." The rest of the group chuckled at this and Darkstorm smiled as Skybreak continued to pout.

How she put up with him when she was younger. . . she would never know.

* * *

"Dreadwing," someone commed in. Dreadwing recognized the voice immediately.

"What is your wish, Lord Megatron?"

"I am sending you on a very important task, Dreadwing. I would normally perform this task myself but I am leaving it to you, my Second in Command."

Dreadwing had to take several moments to process this but answered Megatron immediately, lest he be thought as rude. "But, I was made aware that Airachnid was your Second in Command." Him? Second in Command of the Decepticons? It was true that he served Megatron loyally but he never thought he would be promoted to such a high position. The highest promotion he had ever received under Megatron's rule was to be Air Commander of a small Seeker armada.

"She is no longer. Your mission is to dispose of that traitor. Take Breakdown with you and take Airachnid out to investigate "an unconfirmed energon deposit". Then you must terminate her. I expect you to be ready in a joor," Megatron ordered before ending the transmission.

Dreadwing vented but accepted this. He had learned long ago not to question his master's orders. He left his quarters and slowly made his way over to the med bay. To his knowledge, Breakdown could usually be found there.

When he entered the med bay, Knock Out and Breakdown looked at him curiously, though Knock Out's curiosity was disguised by annoyance.

"Yes, Dreadwing? Let me guess, there was another accident in the mines that needs my attention," Knock Out asked with a wry smirk.

"Actually, my presence here does not concern you, Knock Out. Megatron has ordered that Breakdown and I see to some business. We are to leave in one joor," Dreadwing informed them.

Breakdown and Knock Out exchanged a look before Breakdown turned to Dreadwing. "Of course."

"Try not to get yourself offlined, will you? I still need someone to help me buff my back plating," Knock Out called out.

Breakdown turned to the medic and smiled. Although Knock Out was too prideful to say the words out loud, Breakdown got the message loud and clear. "I'll be back before you know it," he said before leaving the med bay.

"So, care to tell me what this is really about?" Breakdown asked once they began walking to the bridge.

"I have been informed that Airachnid is a traitor to the Decepticon cause and so, she must be dealt with," Dreadwing stated solemnly.

"I see," were the only words Breakdown said.

The rest of the trip was spent in silence as Airachnid, Breakdown, and Dreadwing reached their intended coordinates. They began to walk along the forest pathway and Airachnid couldn't help but muse to herself that something must be wrong. She expected Dreadwing to be stoic but never Breakdown. He always was quite the talker.

"Such heavy backup for a mere energon deposit. Quite curious, isn't it?" Airachnid asked, trying to break the awkward silence. The mechs gave no reply.

"Breakdown, I know we haven't always seen eyes-to-eye, but that doesn't mean we can't patch things up," Airachnid smirked and tried again.

Breakdown immediately tensed and stopped, turning to the spider femme with a fierce glare. Well, at least she got a response. "Now, you listen to me-"

"Ah, Ah, Ah. Temper, temper, dearest Breakdown. We're all on the same team here," Airachnid said impishly. "Besides, it's not my fault you lost your optic to humans. Hmm. . . must have been an off day for you."

Breakdown growled and charged Airachnid. "Breakdown, not yet-" Dreadwing warned but to no avail. Dreadwing vented wearily and activated his weapon systems. He moved to help his fellow Decepticon, firing blasts at the spider femme. A tree fell on one of her legs, injuring her. She yelled slightly in pain and retaliated by blasting some of her webbing at Dreadwing, pinning him against a tree. He struggled against his bonds but no matter what he tried, he could not get free. Airachnid hissed at the Seeker and began to retreat. Breakdown immediately pursued her.

"Breakdown! Stop!" But the former Wrecker would not heed his words. Soon, he was out of Dreadwing's range of sight. Fearing for Breakdown's life, Dreadwing struggled all the more against his bonds. Finally, Dreadwing got an idea. He activated his sword and began to saw at the webbing. This continued for fifteen minutes or so before the Seeker made any real progress. The webbing was constantly sticking to his sword, making progress slow.

At least, he had managed to make a long enough cut for him to get free. He immediately ran over to Breakdown's location, praying that somehow he was still alive. The sight that met him however was not all that reassuring. Spilt energon stained the ground but Breakdown was nowhere to be found. The only trace that he was there at all was the makeshift optic patch that he had worn to conceal his previous injury at the hands of MECH.

"No," Dreadwing whispered.

* * *

Ratchet paused from his usual monitoring of the base and of Decepticon activity as he received a message with an encrypted signal.

"What is it, old friend?" Optimus asked.

"Starscream again, promising information in return for medical care," Ratchet answered. The entire team wondered at this. What information could Starscream possibly have this time?

Optimus considered this before nodding his helm. "Very well. See to it that he is given such but take Bulkhead with you in case Starscream has other plans in mind."

"Yes, Optimus," Ratchet nodded and went through the ground bridge with the green Wrecker. Darkstorm in the meantime took over Ratchet's stations and began monitoring their life signals. Everything seemed normal so far.

Skye put her elbow on the railing and rested her chin in her palm. "So . . . Starscream hates you, and yet he gives you information?" She looked at her guardian with a confused expression.

"Hate is an understatement," Darkstorm chuckled. "He would gladly offline any of us given the chance but, he is always willing to please the highest bidder. Also, if he returned to the Nemesis for medical care he would be offlined on sight due to his betrayal of Megatron so. . . seeking help from the Autobots would be his only option, it seems."

"So he really needs patching up so often that he has to beg us for help?" Skye snickered.

"With the trouble 'Screamer is bound to get into, slag yes," Skybreak snorted.

"And his charming personality doesn't help things either," Arcee added sarcastically.

"Let's just hope he isn't planning something. He is known for tricks," Darkstorm shook her helm.

Soon, Ratchet and Bulkhead returned, unharmed thankfully. "What information did you receive, Ratchet?" Optimus asked.

"Starscream has given us the location of Airachnid. . ." Ratchet said slowly, gauging Arcee's reaction. Her facial plating was cold and emotionless though her optics burned with anger. Jack glanced at his guardian with concern.

"Then what are we waiting for?" she asked.

"While Airachnid deserves to pay for her many crimes, it is not the Autobot way to offline unless there is no other option. We do not harm unless the enemy makes it clear that there is no other way," Optimus soothed.

Arcee's optics narrowed but she nodded in compliance. "Yes, Optimus," she muttered before walking away. Jack stared after and sighed. The rest of the team besides those who did not know Arcee for very long, had practically the same reaction.

Darkstorm placed a servo on Bumblebee's shoulder plating, seeing his saddened countenance. Arcee was like a sister to him and it nearly broke his spark to see her this way. "It will be alright, 'Bee. She just needs some time to think, that's all."

_"I know,"_ he vented.

"Any idea what problem she has with Airachnid?" Skybreak asked with a raised optic ridge.

"Tailgate. She killed her partner, Tailgate," Darkstorm answered softly.

Some time later, several blips across the screen went off. There was a high amount of Decepticon activity and what looked to be Airachnid's energy signature. "Autobots, prepare to roll out. This must be investigated," Optimus ordered.

Darkstorm shot Arcee a concerned look before turning to her charge. "Skye, I suggest you stay at the base for this mission, as well. It could be extremely dangerous, especially given that Airachnid is involved."

The girl bore a disappointed expression. "Alright. But you come back in one piece, ya hear?"

Darkstorm smiled. "I'll try my best."

"Don't worry, Skye," Skybreak chuckled. "I'll take care good care of her."

The other humans similarly said their goodbyes to their charges and all the Autobots filed through the ground bridge, Ratchet closing it behind them. When the Autobots arrived at the scene, they were met with Megatron battling an Insecticon. Airachnid watched from a distance, most likely having ordered the beast to do her bidding.

"Airachnid," Arcee hissed.

"Arcee, do not engage. That is an order," Optimus said but it was too late. The two-wheeler femme had already taken off to pursue her enemy. She soon disappeared in an adjacent tunnel. Optimus vented and turned towards his team. "Drift, Bulkhead, Bumblebee, follow her." The respective mechs nodded and ran after their teammate.

Meanwhile, Darkstorm watched on in horror as Megatron finally triumphed over the Insecticon. Bright blue energon spilled on the dark earth as the tyrant leader ripped off the Insecticon's legs and eventually, his helm. Skybreak pushed his sister behind him, trying to protect her from such a sight. How could he not have seen this before? Was he truly that blinded?

The remaining Autobots watched as Megatron eventually collapsed, spent from his battle. It looked like he had taken quite the beating. Several scratch marks marred his frame and it was stained with not only the energon from his kill, but his as well. Optimus walked towards Megatron solemnly, inwardly warring with himself. One simple shot from his cannon and the war would be over. No more innocents would have to die. But. . . he could not possibly bring himself to terminate a defenseless life form, no matter what their deeds may be.

The leader of the Decepticons stared up at Optimus defiantly. "Go ahead, Optimus. Finish this. Or are you too weak?"

Optimus clenched his servos before activating his cannons and aiming at Megatron. If it was for the greater good, then so be it. Optimus was about to pull the trigger before a baritone voice interrupted him.

"That would not be wise," it warned. Optimus lowered his weapon and turned to see Dreadwing and a whole squadron of Vehicon soldiers. The Vehicons sent a few incredulous looks toward Jolt and Shiv but they turned their helms away, sorrow in their optics.

"Let me see to my master and I shall spare those in your company. If not-" Dreadwing raised a servo and the Vehicons' guns were activated on Team Prime. "Then I shall be forced to act."

Skybreak glared at Dreadwing and shielded his sister. "You do that and I'll be forced to act."

"Brother, please," Darkstorm said softly, placing a servo on her brother's shoulder plating. Dreadwing's mask melted momentarily as he stared into Darkstorm's wide red optics but he soon regained his composure.

"What say you, Prime?" he asked.

"Agreed. Take Megatron but leave those under my command be," Optimus replied.

The bulky blue Seeker walked over to his master and helped him stand up. "You disobeyed my orders in following me here. . . You will make a fine first lieutenant," Megatron said with smug satisfaction. With Dreadwing's support, Megatron made his way over to the troops. A tense silence passed across the ravine before Megatron's lip components twisted into a smirk. "Attack them."

Dreadwing's spark hammered as he realized that he could not stop them. Ultimate authority was Megatron's. He disguised a grimace as Skybreak's frame was peppered with ion energy blasts. Darkstorm struggled, trying to get her brother to defend himself instead of her, but he would have none of it.

"Soundwave, prepare a ground bridge," Megatron commed his TIC.

Dreadwing lowered his optics in shame as he saw Darkstorm's pained expression.

**"Defend her, Dreadwing. Abandon this madness."**

But how could he? He could not betray Megatron . . . and yet it pained him to see his little storm in such a state.

**"If you continue to choose that tyrant, you will lose her."**

Still, Dreadwing would not listen. I must obey my master, he silently replied as he followed his leader through the ground bridge, not daring to look behind him.

Team Prime held out until Bulkhead, Bumblebee, and Drift returned with a shaken Arcee. Optimus immediately called for a ground bridge from Ratchet. Bumblebee and Optimus provided cover fire until they were sure everyone got to safety and then they too entered the ground bridge.

"Well, it looks like I'll prepare the med bay," Ratchet said as he studied the team.

Darkstorm studied her brother with blatant concern. "Brother, that was foolish! I am more than capable of fighting my own battles. If you had moved. . ." She vented and massaged a servo on her forehelm. "Now look at what you've done to yourself."

"Hey," Skybreak gently turned her helm upwards. "I'm your brother. Protecting you is part of the job description."

Darkstorm smiled weakly before vented and averting her gaze. "Well, at least let me patch you up. You look like you went to the pit and back."

Skybreak obediently sat on a spare medical berth as Darkstorm dealt with the various mesh wounds covering his chassis and wings.

Skye approached the edge of the platform at the area close to the medbay. "Wh-what happened out there?"

_"Exactly what I want to know,"_ Bumblebee said. _"The next thing we knew, we were bailing after Dreadwing and a squadron of Vehicons attacked."_

Darkstorm vented, her wings drooping. "Dreadwing, he-"

"He made a trade. Megatron's life for ours. He was about to leave peacefully before Megatron ordered the squadron of Vehicons to attack," Skybreak chuckled wryly. "Too blinded to disobey. I was like that once." Skybreak hissed in pain as Darkstorm welded a particularly deep wound on the tip of his wing shut.

"Hold still. It will only hurt worse if you struggle," Darkstorm admonished.

Skye looked at the Seekers with concern written on her face. "And the one you mentioned before leaving? Airachnid?"

"Gone," Arcee said brusquely.

"And that's not the strange part. The bot who helped us chase her off was Starscream," Bulkhead added.

"Starscream? But you tried to kill you, Arcee. Why would he help us now?" Jack asked.

"Don't know," Arcee shrugged.

"Well, whatever agenda he has, it cannot be good," Darkstorm shook her helm before glancing at Skybreak sternly as he continued to fidget. Skybreak chuckled and ceased to do so. Darkstorm continued to work and let the unspoken words pass through her mind. God, help, Dre'wan. He is going further down that dark path that my brother was once on and I fear. . . he may never return us.

Darkstorm paused as she heard God silently answer. **"I will continue to reach out to him but you must continue to have faith. Never lose it. Trust in Me for I am a God of miracles."**

Darkstorm knew this to be true and she softly smiled. Faith. It was something she was learning to hold onto.

I will. Just please. . . continue to help him. Darkstorm mentally shuddered, thinking of how conflicted Dreadwing looked. . . and yet he was still willing to offline both her and her brother. Please.

* * *

Dreadwing vented softly as he made his way over to the med bay. He did not even know where to begin. How in the name of the Allspark was he going to tell Knock Out? He was not even sure how the medic would react. Though the medic tried to hide it, Dreadwing knew he cared for Breakdown and that he would by no means take the news well.

Knock Out turned around as he sensed Dreadwing approach. "Ah, Dreadwing. I take it everything went well?"

The medic's smirk faded slightly as he saw Dreadwing's solemn expression. Wordlessly, the Seeker handed Knock Out Breakdown's optic patch. Several emotions flickered across the medic's facial plating as he looked down at the object in his servo. First, mild disbelief and then, anger. Finally, sadness.

"Was this. . . the only part you found?"

Dreadwing nodded. "Yes. I offer my deepest regrets, Knock Out. I did everything in my power to save him."

"Yes. . . well," Knock Out cleared his throat. "Thank you. Now, if you will excuse me, I have work to do."

Dreadwing understood. The medic needed time to mourn in private. "Of course," he said softly before turning to leave. Only then, did Knock Out make his true anguish known. The arrogant porcelain-like facial plating crumbled and bright red shoulder panels shook as coolant dripped on a lab table. After Dreadwing left, the only sound echoing through the med bay was the quiet sobbing of a medic mourning the loss his friend.

* * *

Bumblebee made his way outside, hoping to find Arcee at her usual spot. In truth, the young scout was a bit worried for his adoptive sister. He knew that she took the deaths of her two partners hard and their killers being on Earth did nothing to ease the pain of their passing. He hated to see her like this, so angry and hurt. It made him wish he could do more.

Arcee, as usual, was kneeling beside Cliffjumper's memorial. Hearing soft foot fall, she turned around and smiled slightly when she saw Bumblebee approaching. "Hey, 'Bee."

_"Hiya, 'Cee,_" Bumblebee smiled. _"You doing okay?"_

"As fine as I'll ever be," Arcee vented.

_"Look, 'Cee. . . I know you're still upset. I would be too, but making yourself miserable won't bring them back. They'd want you to be happy, you know that."_

"I know," Arcee said softly. "It's just. . . everytime I look at Starscream or Airachnid, I'm reminded of how I failed them. They're offline and their killers are free, constantly reminding me. . . of what happened."

_"There's nothing you could have done and you need to stop blaming yourself for their deaths. They wouldn't want you to act this way,"_ Bumblebee placed a servo on her shoulder plating. _"And I hate seeing you this way. What happened to the old 'Cee I used to know?"_

"She's still here," Arcee half smiled. "It just gets hard, you know?"

_"I know. Just hang in there, okay?"_

Arcee vented and nodded. "It's what I do best," the two wheeler paused before smiling. "How about you and me take a drive? Like old times."

_"I'd like that,"_ Bumblebee smiled.

Arcee paused once more as she heard a strange voice. **"Listen to him, Arcee. It is time for you to move on. All this anger, bitterness, and your desire for vengeance will only cause you more pain. Learn how to forgive and you will find that the burden you insist on carrying shall be released."**

If anyone else had told her that, Arcee would have told them rather unpolitely that that was an impossibility but something about this voice. . . made her want to listen. No promises, she internally replied. But I'll try. After all, what have I got to lose?

_"Something wrong?"_ Bumblebee asked.

Arcee smiled and shook her helm. "I guess it was about time for me to get some sense knocked into me by this human Primus."

* * *

"Darkstorm, can I ask you something?" Skye looked up at her guardian. "Humans have dealt with war for pretty much as long as we've been around, but it sounds like that isn't the case for you. Before this war, what was life like for your people?"

Darkstorm was a bit taken aback by the question but she smiled. "You can ask me anything, Skye. You know that. Hmm. . . let's see. Cybertron was split into five main city-states with villages strung in between: Vos, the home of my kind, the Seeker, Praxus, Bumblebee is of Praxian descent, Iacon, Kaon, and Polyhex. Cybertron was a beautiful and prosperous planet if it were not for the inequal social castes." She vented. "The Council basically controlled the wealth and your occupation. If you were of a certain frame built, you were sent to work in energon mines or construction. Only the wealthier castes were granted high positions such as the Elite Guard. Besides that, one could live in peace. You should have been there, before the war. In the ghettos of course there was often trouble but in places like Iacon, there was art and music and learning. I often wonder what could have been if the Council had only changed their minds sooner."

Skye put her hands together in front of her chest. "Ah, I can only imagine . . . living metal everywhere . . . what was the music like?"

"It is rather hard to describe. Imagine, Bumblebee's speech but woven together in various pitches and frequencies. That was what our instruments sounded like and of course they would be accompanied by a dialect of Cybertronian, each one differing from the other."

"That sounds a lot like Earth music. The 'pitches and frequencies' weren't the same?"

Darkstorm chuckled and shook her head. "Let me show you." The Seeker femme began humming a tune she had heard on the streets of Kaon. The sound was distinctly metallic, high and low pitches weaving together, much akin to some robotic sound effects one would find in a science fiction movie.

"Wow." Skye shook her head. "That sounds waayyy different than Earth music. It makes even our instruments sound . . . organic. Granted, the guitars are made with trees, but still. That's just . . . wow."

"Is that a good or a bad wow?" Darkstorm grinned.

Skye nodded. "Definitely a good wow."

"It certainly is different from Earth music. But may I ask as to why you are so curious?"

She shrugged. "I dunno, partially because we have metal instruments here, I was just wondering if they made the same sound. And, I guess . . . music is a big part of any society, it almost defines it. For example, there's a country called Russia, and they have a very big, militaristic, almost scary sound. Then you have countries like Japan and Korea that have very electronic-sounding music, and as countries they are advanced in technology."

"Fascinating. Now, since I've told you about my world, why don't you tell me more about yours?" Darkstorm smiled. "There are still many things I have yet to know."

Skye smiled and sat on the edge of the platform. "Well, what would you like to know?"

"Anything. Everything. I have already heard Earth music via Bumblebee's radio and I have some knowledge of human anatomy but I still have much to learn about your kind's customs and culture."

Skye's eyes widened momentarily and she exhaled. "Wow, there's a tough one. Customs change with each country, and there can be several cultures in each country. Take America for example. Over the past several hundred years immigrants have moved from all different countries to start a new life here under the idea of freedom, and brought their customs and cultures with them, all of which clashed with the people who were already here."

Skye smiled. "But I'm getting away from the question. I really only know about American and English cultures, since that's where I've lived. In England, things seem slower. We woke up, had morning tea, looked out over a small town where the busiest things were the tourists, and spent two hours having lunch. I went to London one time, the capital of England, but it still wasn't near as hustled as America is. Here it's get this thing to so-and-so half an hour ago. Or having less than half an hour to eat lunch then hurry back to school.

"But at the same time America has so much potential. Because so many cultures came together to make one country, there are things that America can share with one country that others can't. Instruments, for example. In the same country, there are savants with a bagpipe as there are with a Chinese pipa. And it was based on freedom, so here the public have always been able to choose what to do with their lives, always have been able to. Where in England, for a long time there were monarchs that dictated where their peasants would go, live, what they would do with their lives."

The girl smiled shyly at her guardian and shrugged in the same manner. "See? I lecture and babble when allowed to. What do you want to know specifically?"

Darkstorm mused on the information she was previously given before she asked, "You said this country we dwell in, America, was based on freedom. How exactly did this occur?"

"About five hundred years ago, a sailor tried to sail to India and instead found America, the 'New World' as Europe came to know it. After that it became the colonies of Spain, France, and England. Eventually the people desired freedom from the monarchs and fought back, eventually declaring their independence, knowing if they faltered, they would die. But the men who wrote the Declaration decided that America would be free, meaning any man could become a leader, if he was elected by the people, or a merchant, or anything he wanted, and certain rights were protected in writing, even those of criminals. It took time for everyone to be free, though. Descendants of slaves brought from Africa and women didn't share the same rights as white men until just recently."

"Interesting. . ." Darkstorm mused. "And Spain and France? Do they share the same freedoms as the country in which we now reside?"

Skye shrugged. "I wouldn't know, though France does have free education and medical care. But I don't know much about the rest of Europe. Except England, of course."

Darkstorm smiled. "Well, thank you for sharing this with me, Skye. Earth history is rather engaging."

Skye smiled back. "No problem, though I didn't even scratch the surface. Thinking about it, there's a lot more to us than one might think."

"That's certainly what I have found. It's how I understand why Optimus places such value on the humans. I can see you have much to offer and, in fact, Cybertronians and humans aren't all that different."

"Well, you know, aside from the fact you tower over us and we squish like bugs where you just dent, yeah." Skye giggled slightly as she finished.

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge and chuckled. "What an interesting analogy. . . but yes, I suppose you're right." Darkstorm paused before chuckling once more, "This must all be so new to you. . . being caught in the middle of a war. I do wish we could have met in calmer circumstances." She smiled softly, "On Cybertron, perhaps. You would have made a lovely Seeker."

"Eh, stress shows character. Anyone can put on a good face in peaceful times, it's the tough times that you see how a person truly is." Skye smiled. "A Seeker, huh? What other types are there, aside from Seekers, I mean."

"There are Praxians like Bumblebee. . . Polyhexians like Shiv and then there are the two-wheelers like Arcee. I've actually forgotten where they originate. And then there are standard four-wheelers like Optimus or Ratchet. They were very common in the larger city-states like Iacon," Darkstorm explained.

"Hmm." Skye seemed to ponder something. "I think I would go with Seeker. Or being some exotic sports car, but flying is the most fun."

"Agreed. I don't know how grounders manage. . . not being able to fly," Darkstorm shook her helm before pausing. "You know. . . if you wish, I could teach you some Seeker cant."

Skye's face lit up. "That would be great!"

Darkstorm smiled widely upon seeing Skye's enthusiasm. "Wonderful. Now I cannot guarantee that you will be able to speak it in its entirety. To my knowledge, humans do not have sonic resonance chambers but I shall try to teach you the basics."

The girl crossed her legs and put her lands in her lap. "Alright."

"Hmm. . . I suppose we should start with the basics. Jri d'uit," Darkstorm smiled sheepishly, her resonance chambers activating upon instinct. She cleared her throat and tried again, this time where she knew Skye would be able to pronounce the words. "Jri d'uit means hello."

"J-Jri d'uit?" Skye seemed confused as she tried to vocalize, but smiled slightly once she finished the phrase.

Darkstorm beamed with pride. "Excellent. You're a natural, Skye. Now. . . Habari a'ta guel is how are you."

"Habari . . . a'ta guel. Hmm." Skye nodded. "I noticed you calling Skybreak by a different name. Was that Seeker cant?"

Darkstorm looked confused for a moment. "Different name. . ." Her optic lit up. "Oh, yes. I sometimes call him Skybreak in Seeker cant which is Skri'brak or brother which is Bruda."

"Ah. I don't suppose there's a way to say . . . my name in Seeker cant, is there?" Skye smiled shyly as she spoke.

"Of course there is. Your name in Seeker cant is Ski'ri."

"Huh, that's pretty neat. And what would your name be?"

"Dar'sain," Darkstorm's smile faltered slightly, remembering Dreadwing.

"Do you . . . mind if I call you by that? On occasion?"

"Of course. I don't mind," Darkstorm shook her helm as if ridding herself of the memories before smiling.

Skye smiled back. "Okay. I don't usually use nicknames . . . I've had a few over the past few years that I didn't care for so I just use people's real names."

"A few you didn't care for? I see. . . Well, you can call me Dar'sain anytime you wish."

"Thank you. Eh, heh yeah. Let's see, there was Brit, T-X, Sparks . . . yeah, those were the most common."

"Oh. . . well, I'm sorry. But I do know how that can feel." She vented. "Street vermin, my brother and I were sometimes called."

Skye put her hand over her mouth. "That's horrible! At least T-X was only a movie reference, but that's just . . . cruel."

"We were pick-pocketing orphans who lived on the streets. It was understable, I suppose," Darkstorm smiled reassuringly. "But that was long ago. It did not bother me then and it certainly doesn't bother me now."

"It never bothered you? Wow, you're certainly lucky. The things people said to me was part of why I spent so much time tinkering alone."

"Well, usually when insults were thrown at our backs, Skybreak and Skyquake would do something. . . violent," Darkstorm laughed slightly. "I can remember Dreadwing and I pulling them away before they got caught by Enforcers."

Skye giggled. "That must've been nice, someone having your back."

"I suppose. . . though with how much trouble they caused, I often wonder," Darkstorm shook her helm amusedly. "They always did have fiery tempers." She paused before adding, "But you know, I will always be here if you should need me and I can talk to those people, if you wish." She smirked, "I am known for my persuasion."

Skye nodded to her guardian. "Thank you. I really appreciate that . . . Dar'sain."

"Anything for you, Ski'ri," Darkstorm grinned.

Skye put her legs over the edge of the platform again, allowing her legs to dangle, and smiled somewhat mischievously. "So, you and Bumblebee. I know we had that date for you two and everything, but how serious is it? I mean . . . humans it seems can either forge strong long-term attachments or short ones for temporary companionship. Errr" she facepalmed. "Not saying you and he are doing that . . ."

Darkstorm's cooling fans activated loudly and she embarassedly fiddled with her digits. "Well, Bumblebee and I care about each other deeply. . . and. . . W-Well. . . umm" She vented, trying to compose herself, before she said, "Promise not to tell my brother just yet?"

Skye nodded. "Of course," she said though she inwardly feared for her guardian. What could be so bad that she couldn't tell her brother?

"W-Well. . . I. . . we. . ." Darkstorm glanced downwards nervously. "When you and the other children, planned that "date" for me and 'Bee we began to talk about life after the war and . . . he asked me. . . if I could be his sparkmate." Darkstorm looked over at her charge, measuring her reaction.

Darkstorm had never seen a grin so wide. "He proposed to you?! Tell me you said yes!"

"But, of course," Darkstorm chuckled. "How could I not?" She smiled softly. "Bumblebee. . . he's one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me."

Skye placed her elbows on her knees and rested her face in her hands. "That's so sweet . . ." She gasped. "You two have to let us throw a human wedding for you! When you're ready of course."

"If you wish, then we'd be honored, Skye," Darkstorm smiled.

"Awesome! Do you have any idea how soon? Like if you want to wait for a few months or a year? Most people I know who got married were engaged for at least six months . . ."

"Six months? Well. . . Bumblebee and I were thinking. . . that we would bond after the war was over and that can be either soon or far away. Still, we both thought it best. Bumblebee and I are still far too young. But, when the time comes, we will gladly have a human wedding. Earth is our second home, after all."

Skye seemed to ponder something. "After the war, huh? Probably a safe bet, you won't have the stress of it all taking a toll on your relationship . . . like it is now?" She put her hands over her face. "Sorry, I just can't think, this is too exciting. But you know, these things aren't pulled off on a dime, they do require some planning. How about we find you the dress, get all the things we would need planned or whatever needs be done, so when you guys are ready, just say the word and it's all ready to go."

Darkstorm giggled. "You seem even more excited than me, Ski'ri. But that does sound wonderful." She paused before venting slightly, "Still, if we are to plan my brother will need to know sooner rather than later."

"Well, I've never been to a wedding, let alone planned one! And besides, you being with Bumblebee isn't new to you, but the idea of setting off your life together with a wedding planned by friends? That's near mind-blowing for me!"

"I suppose it is mind-blowing. Me, being a sparkmate to a wonderful mech like Bumblebee. . . having sparklings with him. . . It is quite a lot to take in," she shook her helm, "Let's just hope my brother takes it well. He is very protective of me and he might, well, overreact."

Her smile dropped. "Oo yeah . . . I'd suggest making it as obvious as possible that you're happy with Bumblebee, so it'd be easier to talk him down before he . . . you know, does something to your groom?"

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component and nodded. "That would most likely be the best course of action. Let us hope however that it works."

"Yeah. Still though." Skye smiled again and shook her head. "This is still just too cool." She gasped lightly. "I'm going to have to take you dress shopping! Or you can find one online to have mailed in. Ah, and dresses for Miko and I. And Arcee. This is gonna be great!"

Darkstorm giggled. "Another human custom? Well, alright. That sounds good to me."

Skye laughed. "It's the best human custom there is! Aside from the dress shopping, which is fun in and of itself, it brings people together in the best of ways. It bonds two people, and with them, it brings two families into one. And the atmosphere at a wedding is just beautiful."

"Sounds like it." Darkstorm smiled. "There was never anything like that on Cybertron. . . The mech would simply go to the femme's sire or guardian and ask for permission to bond with her. If they said yes, then the two would bond. There was a small ceremony but nothing like what you've described."

"Well, the specifics change between countries, even individuals. Some people prefer large weddings with all their extended family present, where other people want just a small beach wedding with their parents and closest friends. Others choose not to have a ceremony at all, and just elope. And those are only what people do in some countries."

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge and chuckled. "The diversity of Earth never ceases to surprise me. . . But enough about me." She smiled down at her charge. "What about you? Have you ever loved someone?"

"That would require having someone be interested in you. I've had friends, teammates, but never anything like a boyfriend. All the guys at school were either too afraid to do stuff with me, you know, the whole leg thing, or I just wasn't their type. I just have to hope my 'one' is out there, somewhere." Skye smiled at her guardian. "But don't worry, I'm good."

"Well, I'm sure you will find your mech someday, Skye. I'm sure of it."

"One can only hope." She shrugged. "I know I'm still young and have plenty of time yadiyada. But it's easy to get discouraged when I saw so many teenagers both in England and here who are in relationships, knowing closest thing I've come to an emotional commitment is my studies."

Darkstorm wrapped a servo around her charge encouragingly. "He will come sooner than you think." She chuckled. "I know I used to feel the same way. . . I used to think that no one would wish to be with me but, then Bumblebee came and I am sure your future sparkmate will come too."

Skye hugged one of her digits. "Thank you. It . . . it helps, though my reaction may not reflect that. Besides. I still have plenty to be happy about with you and Bumblebee."

Darkstorm smiled softly. "I suppose. . ."

"No no, no 'I suppose.' I won't have you worried about me when you have more exciting things to keep your mind on."

"You can see right through me," Darkstorm smiled and shook her helm. "Alright. I'll try not to worry."

"Yeah, hate to tell you, but that barrier you put up to hide your emotions? More often than not it makes a better window than wall. And I say that lovingly."

"My brother would say the same," she chuckled quietly. "I've always been easy to read. Even when I try to hide my emotions, they manage to make themselves known."

"The most loving hearts are the easiest to see and love, where it's harder to bond with a heart that has erected a stone barrier around itself." Skye smiled slightly. "Another volleyball thing. We were often a support group for each other, meetings and everything. Can't remember who said that one, but it's always stuck with me."

"Well, whoever said it is very wise. Although I wish I could, I have never been fully able to erect a "stone barrier" around my spark. I used to think it would help me but now? I'm not so sure. Perhaps, it is indeed a gift."

"I believe so. Think about it. Because of your loving heart, you touched Drift, and he escaped from the Decepticons. And I don't think you could've landed such a mech as Bumblebee had you cordoned off your feelings." She smiled. "Those who have experienced the most pain are the most wise, but it's because they don't want others to feel their pain, and they don't want to make the same mistakes as the past."

Darkstorm's optics filled with emotion as she remembered a similar speech she was given not too long ago.

_"Use that loving spark of yours when I'm gone, will you? I am certain you will be able to change others as you have me."_

_"But, Dre'wan. . . Please. . . don't go. I need you here," Darkstorm begged._

_"It cannot be helped, Dar'sain. I must obey Lord Megatron but do not worry, I shall return," Dreadwing smiled softly. "This I solemnly swear."_

_"Yeah and take care of Skri'brak for us. He's bound to get into more trouble," Skyquake grinned._

_Skybreak scoffed and playfully punched him in his shoulder plating. "Like you're any better."_

She remembered how bittersweet their parting was. . . but what she could truly remember were some of Dreadwing's last words to her.

_"Never change, my little storm."_

"Yes, you're absolutely right," Darkstorm finally said.

"A-are you alright?"

"Yes," she smiled reassuringly. "I am quite well. Just. . . I was just thinking."

Skye closed her eyes and smiled slyly. "I won't pry."

Darkstorm was silent for a few moments before saying softly, "It was about the day when Dreadwing and Skyquake left. I can remember him telling me practically the same thing you did. . . about my spark."

"I'm sorry." Her smile had a sad tinge. "But I meant it when I said I wouldn't pry. Now you just made me feel bad."

"Oh. . . forgive me. But I knew what you meant. It's just that. . . I trust you, Ski'ri." Darkstorm vented. "It's funny. . . We haven't known each other for more than a few stellar cycles and yet I feel as if I could tell you everything."

Skye's face turned red. "And I've trusted you with things I haven't told anyone. I guess some friendships just work off the bat . . ."

"So it would seem," Darkstorm smiled widely. "And I am happy that God has blessed me with you as a friend."

Skye smiled up at her guardian. "As am I, Dar'sain."

**A/N: Well, there you have it ^^ Yet another chappie bites the dust. We do hope y'all enjoyed it. A big thank you to all those who have reviewed, favorited, and followed our lovely story and we will try to get a new chappie to you soon. Love you all and may God bless you!**

**And I just wanted to say that I may not know you but I love you in the Lord and I wish to assure you that no matter what you're going through, the Lord will always love you. I mean, look at what happened to Job. Everything was taken away from Him but He held fast to the Lord and the Lord restored everything a hundredfold! If you need to talk, I am here for you. You can PM me or leave a guest review and I can give you my email. **

**Remember, hold fast to the Lord for He can never fail you. **

**"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future-" Jeremiah 29:11.**

**A/N: Planning a wedding, Skye? What mischief could possibly go on there? Thank you guys for helping us get this far with your encouragement, reviews, love, all :D and in return we offer our love and more Bee x Storm fluff~ and cookies, of course. Oh, and recommendations for great music! I mean, who doesn't love Skillet?**

**Theme Song: Those Nights by Skillet**


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers Prime or its characters. They belong to Hasbro and the Hub. We do however own our OCs. Dream'sRealm owns Drift, Shiv, Jolt, Darkstorm, and Skybreak. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher.**

_Skye is running. She knows she has little time, so she pushes herself to run faster. Faster!_

_She gasps as she sees him take a shot in the arm, propelling him backwards. She tries to make it to him, but the distance is a lot greater than it first seemed._

_A giant metal foot slams down in front of her. She falls backwards, barely avoiding being stepped on. She looks up as a clawed hand reaches for her. Skye tries to run in the other direction but the fingers clamp around her, leaving only her arms free._

_The hand turns and Skye finds herself looking at Starscream. He laughs. "My my, looks like I've caught myself a pest. Tell me, human, are you ready to surrender?" He smiles as Skye tries to escape his grasp. "You know this won't end well for you or your traitorous Autobot friends."_

_Skye freezes, slowly turning her attention back to the Seeker's face. She feels the blood in her veins freeze as she sees familiar images. One of Optimus lifeless against a rock, the other of Bumblebee lifeless in water._

_"This can be avoided if you just give up now."_

_Skye manages to break out of the grasp, pulling her legs up out of the fist before jumping off. She tries to use Starscream's armor to slow her fall, but she still lands hard, and the breath is knocked out of her. She struggles to get up and continues towards her previous goal, limping._

_She comes up on a clearing that draws her attention to something below her. Her eyes widen as she drops to her knees and extends her hand._

_"NOOO!"_

Skye's eyes shot open, though she remained laying in her bed. She put her hand over her chest as she felt her rapid heartbeats start to slow, then sighed and pulled the hand away. These dreams, these nightmares . . . why was she having them?

As before, the images were already fading, and within seconds all she remembered was running . . . and the clearing. But what was under it?

She shook her head and sat up, rubbing her eyes. If these kept up, she'd have to tell the others. But not now.

Moments later she walked out and joined the rest of society in the main part of the base. She smiled as she spied the kids by the TV, each pulling the contents from boxes next to them. Curious, Skye decided to join them. As she got closer, she saw each studying remote-controlled cars.

"Skye!" Raf smiled at her as she approached. "Look what my mom got us! She knows how much I like them, and wanted to get one for everybody."

Jack indicated an unopened box next to him. "This one's yours."

Skye smiled, taking a seat on the couch before tearing into her box. She didn't open it at the flaps as everyone else did, but tore at the cardboard haphazardly.

Raf laughed. "It's a box, not a 'Con."

Skye smiled back. "May as well be as long as it holds my toy hostage."

Eventually she freed the car from the foam and cardboard. She held it up in the air, examining the see-through windows, the undercarriage, even the fully-equipped interior. "This looks great, Rafael! You'll have to thank your mum for me."

Jack smiled at Skye. "We're having a race as soon as Miko gets back with some batteries. Care to join in?"

Skye smiled deviously at him. "Are you kidding? There's no way you could keep me out of it!" Skye froze for a second, remembering something. "Oh, good morning, Darkstorm." She smiled nervously at her guardian.

"Good morning, Ski'ri," Darkstorm smiled before pausing at her nervous demeanor. "Are you alright?"

Skye smiled wide. "Yeah, just didn't want you to think I forgot all about you, that's all." She studied her RC car again. "Ah, how I would love to modify you. Just need a screwdriver to open you up, then all your secrets will be mine."

"Hey, that's not fair! At least wait until after the first race." Raf laughed as he spoke.

"I'll do you one better, I'll give you one day. After that, you won't stand a chance against me and my suped-up car!"

"Aw, come on, Skye. Give the kids a chance. Everyone knows you'll beat all of them that way," Skybreak chuckled.

Miko put her hands on her hips. "Oh really? Well, we'll see about that." She smirked and began handing out the batteries.

Skye grinned and placed hers inside her RC car and the others followed suite.

"Ready?" Miko grinned. "Go!"

The four RC cars took off at full speed and skillfully maneuvered around the base. Ratchet jumped aside to avoid them and began cursing in Cybertronian under his breath. Several other Autobots stepped aside as the cars raced through their path. The childrens' guardians cheered them on as they reached the end of their race. In the end, it was Rafael who won.

_"Good job, Raf!"_ Bumblebee explained as he ruffled his charge's hair.

Raf beamed up at his guardian. "Thanks, 'Bee."

"Yeah, great work, Raf," Skye grinned. "Just remember though, the next race will go differently."

"We'll see about that," Raf laughed.

The base paused as an incoming transmission was received from an irate Agent Fowler. "What the sam hill is going on?! Where's Prime?"

Ratchet vented wearily. "He is currently on patrol, Agent Fowler. Now, what is so urgent that you are contacting us?"

"I was just driving down the road, minding my own business, when all of a sudden, Prime came out of nowhere and T-boned my car!"

Team Prime stared at the computer in disbelief. No one could imagine Optimus Prime committing such an act. No one. Still, they could not deny the grating sounds of metal against metal. A loud crash was heard and the transmission ended in static.

"Ratchet, prepare a ground bridge. This should be investigated and Agent Fowler rescued before any harm is done," Darkstorm said.

A ground bridge was soon prepared and the Autobots filed through. The sight they were met with was shocking, to say the least. A semi-truck that looked hauntingly similar to Optimus' alt form was speeding away from Agent Fowler's car, which was hanging precariously off of the cliff wall. Arcee, Drift, Jolt, and Shiv immediately pursued while Skybreak, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, and Darkstorm attempted to save the government agent.

"Hold on, Agent Fowler," Darkstorm called out as Bumblebee and Bulkhead pulled the car away from danger.

The vehicle was in terrible condition. The front end was smashed beyond repair and the left side of the car was caved in due to the impact. Darkstorm gently pried off one of the doors and cut through the seat belt with one of her sharp digits. The femme studied the agent's condition and checked his vitals. He seemed to be fine other than a concussion on his temple and small lacerations on his upper body due to the broken windshield. Darkstorm could remedy that easily. Still, the femme could barely handle the sight of the organic's blood. She had been hardened to the sight of injured Cybertronians but this human. . . was so fragile and the red liquid stuck to her servos uncomfortably.

_"Arcee? You doing okay?"_ Bumblebee commed in but there was no answer. He tried again. _"Arcee? Do you copy?"_ Still, there was silence on the comm link. Bumblebee inwardly panicked and tried the others comm links. No one answered save for Jolt.

"Hey, buddy," he groaned. "Er, think you can call 'Storm over? We're in a bit of a situation."

"What kind of situation, Jolt?" Darkstorm asked.

"That truck ran over Arcee and then slammed ol' Drift and Shiv into the side of a stone wall. I tried to help but I was nearly ran over myself before it sped away."

"Just hang on. I'm on my way, Jolt," Darkstorm replied before ending the comm link. She turned to Bumblebee. "Think you can take Agent Fowler back to the base?"

_"Sure thing, 'Storm,"_ Bumblebee nodded before gently taking the unconscious man from her servos. He stepped through the ground bridge as Darkstorm went with the others to help the rest of her team back to base for repairs. From the sound of it, she'd be rather busy today, as well.

Finally, everyone was back at the base and Darkstorm immediately rushed over to the med bay to handle the repairs. She left half of the Cybertronians to Ratchet while she began addressing Agent Fowler's wound. Ratchet never cared to learn human anatomy and so it was logical that she would be the one to do it. She activated her holoform and immediately set to work.

After she addressed his head injury, she attended to his small lacerations, using stitches when necessary, before she moved on to her Cybertronian patients.

"So, any idea what happened out there?" Skybreak interrupted.

"No idea," Bulkhead shrugged. "You don't think it's Optimus, do you? I mean, I know Optimus and he would never do something like this."

"Indeed," Darkstorm agreed. "I cannot imagine Optimus ever harming any of us. But his absence is disconcerting. . . and a vehicle similar to his alt mode did attack us."

"Wait, Optimus supposedly attacked you guys out there?" Jack asked disbelievingly.

"Supposedly. We have yet to find out the true identity of our adversary. However, I believe Optimus would never commit such an act. Optimus has a good spark, I know he does."

The whole team went on guard as Optimus entered the base. The leader of the Autobots' eyes widened slightly in shock as he beheld so many of his own lying unconscious in the med bay.

"What happened here?" he questioned. "Why was I not informed of this situation?"

"Optimus. . . where were you?" Darkstorm asked softly.

"I was at an underground energon site," Optimus gestured to a mining cart full of energon near one of the storage rooms before turning back to the femme. "Why do you ask?"

"Some truck attacked Agent Fowler and then turned on us. And it looked just like you," Bulkhead answered.

Optimus' brow furrowed. "I do not know exactly what is going on here but I can assure you, I had nothing to do with this event."

"We know, Optimus. But something about this just isn't right," Darkstorm shook her helm. "Perhaps the Decepticons are up to their usual tricks? Trying to pit us against us each other?"

"So it would seem," Optimus vented before looking at the med bay sadly. "And the others?"

"They will be just fine, Optimus. Ratchet and I are handling things quite nicely. There is no need to worry," Darkstorm smiled reassuringly.

"Your words are appreciated, Darkstorm, but I cannot help but worry when it comes to the safety of my team. Whoever is behind this is planning something and we need to be ready when their plans are finally carried out."

* * *

Agent Fowler clutched his aching head as he received a call from the Alden Military Base. "No, Colonel. Prime and his team are right here with me and they haven't moved since I've been here."

"That still doesn't explain why the leader of the Autobots trashed our base. I have hundreds of casualties out here. What the hell am I supposed to tell the Pentagon?" Colonel Lennox ranted. Optimus' optics saddened at the news of human casualties.

"Let me handle the Pentagon. Just salvage what you can and we'll try to get to the bottom of this," Agent Fowler answered. "Did you manage to get footage of the attacker?"

"Yeah. And it looks just like this Optimus Prime you've been telling me about. I'll send in the surveillance footage now."

Ratchet pulled up the file that was sent and Team Prime gasped. It was Optimus. An exact replica of Optimus Prime save for the optics which were a bright yellow.

"For your alien friends' sakes, you'd better figure this out fast because, as of now, all Transformers, whether they're 'Bot or 'Con, are ordered to be shot down on sight," the colonel warned before ending the transmission.

Ratchet shook his helm. "They actually did it. Those butchers managed to break the code!"

"Which means what exactly?" Arcee rasped from her medical berth.

"MECH has managed to get enough parts to make a replica of a Cybertronian, complete with our scanning technology."

"No. Not a Cybertronian. This. . . robot is a puppet at the hands of MECH, nothing more," Darkstorm said.

"Then I say we cut the strings and take MECH down." Skye crossed her arms. "They need to be taken offline before they do any more damage than they already have."

"I agree, kid. These humans are far more trouble than they're worth," Skybreak said. "I say we send in an aerial strike and take them all out."

"No. Despite their crimes against Cybertronian and human alike, it is not the Autobot way to cause such devastation unless there is no other choice. I suggest that we take another course of action," Optimus replied.

"A better idea than simply taking care of them? Now this, I'd like to hear," Skybreak smirked.

"We have seen that this-"

"Nemesis Prime?" Everyone turned to Miko. "What? I thought it was cool!"

"That this. . . Nemesis Prime. . . must rely upon a vehicle mode to travel and so, it is logical that the location of MECH's base is in close proximity to the attacked areas. I suggest we search there and attempt to end their research efforts."

"And what if it doesn't work? I mean, we can't just let them take another Cybertronian hostage so they can build another. Next time it could be any of us that's butchered," Bulkhead said.

Optimus vented deeply. "Then we have no other choice. MECH must not be allowed to harm more innocents."

Skye looked at the Prime hopefully. "Then all hands on deck?"

Fowler put his hand on her shoulder. "Hang back, kid. Leave the metal mangling to the 'Bots. When we find Silas and his lackies, you can tag along. Think you can handle it?"

The girl smirked and showed off her wrist-mounted stunner. "Bring it."

"Does that mean I can go too?!" Miko asked excitedly.

"Miko, Skye is an adult. . . You will get your chance one day," Darkstorm paused before adding sternly. "Which means no sneaking off. Understood?"

"Aw, but-"

"I'd listen to her, Miko. 'Sides, I wouldn't want you getting hurt out there," Bulkhead said.

"I can take care of myself!"

"Miko, I almost got in over my head with MECH. I only feel good going because I have my stunner and a leg of steel."

Miko tilted her head, confused. "What?"

"Erm . . ." Skye nervously scratched the back of her head. "D-I mean . . . I have a strong kick, and uh . . . yeah . . ." She only relaxed when Miko shrugged and turned away.

"Hang in there, Miko. You'll be kicking 'Con tailpipe with me soon enough," Bulkhead smiled.

Everyone's attention was diverted as Optimus addressed the group once more. "Autobots, prepare to roll out. We shall perform a search of the area until we find MECH's base."

Darkstorm, Bumblebee, Bulkhead, Skybreak, and Jolt nodded and complied as Ratchet prepared a ground bridge, while the others stayed behind due to their injuries. The Autobots said goodbye to their charges before rolling out, ready to face MECH.

Teams were made as the Autobots scouted ahead for the base's location. Eventually, Darkstorm and Bumblebee came upon the base.

_"Bumblebee to Optimus. We've found it. Sending you coordinates now,_" Bumblebee commed.

"So, what now?" Darkstorm asked.

_"We wait until Optimus and the others can rendezvous with us."_

Darkstorm nodded. "Sounds like a plan." However, a few moments later, Bumblebee and Darkstorm spied a figure approaching them in the darkness. The two Autobots drew their weapons and aimed at the approaching figure.

"Stand down," a familiar voice ordered them. Darkstorm and Bumblebee lowered their weapons as they heard their leader's voice.

"Optimus? We weren't expecting you back so soon. I thought you were at least a klick away from our current position," Darkstorm asked.

"I was actually nearer to your position than you think," Optimus replied. But as he continued to approach, the two Autobots redrew their weapons. Yellow optics. This wasn't Optimus.

"I don't know who you are but you had better stand down," Darkstorm said. "Or you will pay dearly for slandering our leaders' good name."

"We'll see who pays in the end," the figure smirked and moved forward to attack.

* * *

Back at the Autobot base, Ratchet was busy at work. He was attempting to locate the operator of "Nemesis Prime" by hacking into MECH's frequencies. Eventually, the medic found what he was looking for.

"There you are," he muttered.

"You've found him? Silas?" Agent Fowler asked. When Ratchet nodded his helm, he added, "Then I need a bridge."

"You?"

"Look, Doc, I don't plan on dancing with any bots, but there's a human element at play here. And, in case you haven't noticed, I happen to be a highly-trained, government-grade human."

"Besides, he'll have back-up." Skye stood next to the agent. "And we may be able to shut Silas's experiment down before it does any damage. Saves work for you if everyone returns unmangled, yes?"

"I suppose. . ." Ratchet vented. "Very well. You two may go but," the medic stared at Skye pointedly. "Make sure you come back in one piece. Darkstorm will have my helm, otherwise."

She smiled at him. "You got it, Doc." She looked at Fowler. "Ready to put the hurt on MECH for once?"

"Of course," Agent Fowler chuckled as Ratchet prepared another ground bridge, keeping a close optic on Miko all the while.

"Bye, Skye! Be safe!" Raf waved. Jack and Miko similarly said their goodbyes as Skye and Agent Fowler moved through the bridge and to the MECH base.

They looked around once the bridge closed. "Which one is it, Ratchet?" Fowler had his phone on speaker for Skye to hear as well.

"The signal is coming from a structure 100 yards to the west." Fowler looked around then started running towards a building. Not knowing which direction was which, Skye followed him.

She turned her head at the sound of metal-on-metal contact, and saw Darkstorm fighting something that looked suspiciously like Optimus.

"We can't help her now." Skye hadn't realized she'd stopped, but neither she nor Agent Fowler were moving as she looked at him. "But we can if we shut it down from inside. Now, let's move." The girl looked back at her guardian before nodding, and they resumed running towards the structure.

When they reached it, Agent Fowler gestured for Skye to get behind him before he drew his pistol. The government agent then cautiously stuck his head through the doorway. It was Silas alright.

"Ah, Optimus Prime. So nice to see you've decided to join us," Silas smirked and gestured with the controller to Bumblebee. Agent Fowler's eyes widened and Skye gasped softly as she saw one of the robot's blades hanging through Bumblebee's shoulder. "So amusing. . . how I cannot feel pain but you all can. This is the perfect blend of man and machine. I'm building an army of them, you know. So the whole world can be ushered into the new age."

"Not today, Si," Agent Fowler remarked as he fully stepped into the doorway, gun drawn. Silas turned to look with a smirk as he signaled for the guards to draw their weapons. The leader of MECH shook his finger back and forth and tutted. "It was not a very wise idea in coming here, Special Agent William Fowler."

"One might say it's not the best idea picking a fight with robots that are about a hundred times your size, yet here we are." Fowler smirked. "And now I'm pulling the plug on your little video game."

"We'll see," Silas turned and smirked wider at the sight of Skye. "Ah, the girl with the robotic prosthetic. We meet again. It's a shame, really, that we couldn't have looked into your condition further. It would have greatly helped our research."

"I can't say I feel the same, Silas. In fact, I will be all too glad to see all your 'research' here destroyed, if not you with it." She tested the stunner as she walked into the room.

Silas chuckled to himself before he turned back to the computer. "Guards, take care of them." Agent Fowler pulled Skye behind a column as the guards open fired.

"We have to get to that control platform . . . thing on the far side of the room!" Skye winced as a bullet grazed the column, sending sparks flying. "Any ideas?"

"None at the moment," Agent Fowler answered as he fired back at the guards, hitting one or two of them. "You?"

She shrugged. "Well, I guess we could always go with the direct approach." She stepped out from behind the column and activated her stunner, sending arcs of electricity to two nearby soldiers, before taking cover again. "Maybe one of us takes these guys on while the other tries to loop around to the platform. Either way works."

"I'll stay here. You get to it. I have a feeling the 'Bots can't hang on for much longer," he replied before continuing to fire at the guards.

Skye took a shaky breath. "You got it." She peeked around the edge of the column to make sure she was clear before taking off, finding some boxes to hide behind. She slid into cover, looked again, then continued toward Silas at the platform.

"There's one!" Skye's heart skipped a beat as two MECH soldiers came out of nowhere in front of her, turning to aim their rifles at her. She instinctively raised her arm and stunned one, but the other was only shocked. He dropped his rifle and Skye took this to her advantage, first kicking the man in the leg to bring him down to his knees before punching him in the face. Her hand was screaming at her immediately.

She was just twenty feet from Silas when she felt an explosion of pain on the back of her neck and everything flashed white for an instant as she fell forward. She couldn't do anything but lay there helpless and in shock.

A boot rolled her over, and she found herself looking up at the MECH leader. Skye raised her arm to shock him but another boot kicked it down and landed on her wrist. She groaned in pain as Silas bent down next to her.

"Nice try, but you should've stayed home to play house and left the fighting to the grown-ups. Now you get to witness, first-hand, the defeat of your robot friends."

Skye grunted as she tried to pull her arm free. "What, no monologue about your precious 'new world order'?"

"None will be needed after I eliminate Optimus Prime and study what technology his kind has to offer MECH."

Skye tilted her head back and looked at the platform. Smirking, she returned her gaze to the man. "Your plans are going on hold for a while, Si."

Silas's eyes widened as he, too, looked at his control platform, and saw Agent Fowler making a beeline for it. "Don't let Fowler reach the console!" He started toward it. "And make sure she doesn't go anywhere!"

All the MECH soldiers went after Fowler except the one with his boot on Skye's arm. He removed it, grabbing it instead and yanking her to her feet. He kept her arms behind her back as they turned to see what would happen next. Skye tried to get her stunner's barbs to make contact with the man, so she wouldn't try to stun him and instead stun herself, but was unable to. Thus, she was helpless but to watch.

Agent Fowler managed to avoid most of the guards as he sent a few bullets into the console but was tackled to the ground by one of the guards. Silas glared angrily at the government agent. "That. . . was a big mistake. Now, I'm afraid, I can't let you leave here alive," Silas raised an arm and Skye was brought to her knees by her guard as a gun was placed against the back of her head. A similar action was done to Agent Fowler.

"Any last words?" Silas smirked.

A loud bang was heard as well as the sound of tearing metal as a large doorway was made through the side of the compound. "Yeah. Leave them both alone before I beat the slag out of you, that's what," Skybreak smirked. "And don't count on that puppet to save you. We already took care of that." He activated his cannons and aimed it at Silas. "Now, release Skye and the extremely annoying mech," Agent Fowler shot Skybreak an irritated look, "and I'll let you live."

Silas angrily ordered the guards to lower their weapons before turning to the Seeker. "Mark my words, you will pay for this."

"I'd like to see you try, fleshie," he scoffed before turning to his two companions. "You'd better get back to the others. They're expecting you."

Skye shakily sighed. "Thank you, Skybreak."

A brief look of concern came across his features. "You okay, kid?"

She smiled at him. "Am now."

The Seeker smiled back. "Now, come on. 'Storm's probably worried sick by now." Agent Fowler and Skye walked out through the break in the compound wall and walked towards the rest of the team.

"Until we meet again," Silas smirked.

The MECH soldiers and their leader internally panicked however as the Seeker's ion cannon became trained on the roof of the military compound. "I wish that were true," Skybreak said before firing. The humans hurriedly began to file out but it was too late. The roof was already starting to cave in. Skybreak turned his back on the destruction as he walked towards the others.

"Brother-" Darkstorm began with wide optics.

"Don't. Just don't. I'm not going to stand by and wait for them to hurt you. This way, we don't have to worry about them ever again. You're welcome." The Seeker walked through the open ground bridge and the rest of Team Prime followed.

Darkstorm measured her leader's reaction. His optics were full of sadness but he did not make any attempt to scold her brother. Perhaps, it was because he knew that their adversaries would never stop and that he thought it best in order to save more lives. Darkstorm did not know. Her stoic leader was normally an enigma to her. Darkstorm vented as she watched Optimus retreat to his quarters.

"Bumblebee!" Skye ran up to the scout. "Are you alright? We saw . . . Silas attack you in the control room."

Bumblebee smiled and nodded._ "I'm fine. And I'm sure with 'Storm's help, I'll be back to normal in no time."_

"Good. . . I was starting to get worried, 'Bee," Raf added as he embraced his guardian's pedde.

"It was a minor mesh wound. Once I repair some circuitry and weld it shut, 'Bee will be just fine," Darkstorm smiled.

Skye returned the gesture. "I'm glad. Now, if you will excuse me, I think I will turn in a bit early. Today was rather . . . exciting."

She turned and started walking towards Darkstorm's quarters. Once she was in the dark and certain no one was following, she allowed her smile to drop. Seeing Bumblebee on that monitor, was that was the image from her dream was supposed to be? Or was it more the fact in her dream he was lifeless, a parallel to the fact that had Skybreak not shown up when he did . . . Skye shivered.

But, at the same time, it was great to get out in the field again, to help her team in a more practical sense than simply offering moral support.

Now, with the modifications she was going to install the stunner with, she may be able to help even more.

* * *

"Did you find him?" Ratchet asked as the government agent received a call from a search team.

"We found the bodies of his goons but Silas is nowhere to be found," Agent Fowler answered solemnly. "He's still out there somewhere."

Everyone's tanks/stomachs dropped at this. MECH still had their leader and he would most likely seek revenge for the destruction of his work. Darkstorm couldn't bear to think of it. They already took Bumblebee's T-Cog once, who knows what else they could do?

Seeing that everyone else was otherwise occupied, Darkstorm slipped away. She hesitated once she reached Optimus' quarters but found the courage to softly knock.

"You may enter."

Darkstorm softly opened the door and entered. Optimus was sitting on his berth and he looked up at her wearily. "Forgive me. I . . . simply wished to see if you were alright. I was. . . worried," Darkstorm said.

"I assure you, Darkstorm, I am quite well," he replied.

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge. "Your optics tell me otherwise." Optimus vented softly. "Was it because of today? If so, it was not your fault, Optimus."

". . . Yet I cannot help but feel it was. I have already witnessed our home, Cybertron, destroyed by war. I do not want the same fate for our allies, the humans," Optimus said, his voice soft yet his facial plating as stoic as ever.

"Those humans were not our allies. They harmed human and Cybertronian alike and they would not stop. I am not saying that my brother's actions were right. . . but I understand why he did it," Darkstorm vented. "I despise this death and destruction as much as you, Optimus, but perhaps it was for the best. They already dissected Breakdown and stole Bumblebee's T-Cog. . . they even replicated you, Optimus. I fear to know what else they could have done if unchecked."

"Perhaps. . . perhaps, you are right. In order to protect the others, drastic measures had to be taken."

Darkstorm half smiled and nodded, placing an encouraging servo on her leader's shoulder plating. "I know this is hard. The war is taxing for all of us, but I can imagine that is especially taxing for you. You are a good leader, Optimus. You have led us through much and we will follow you to whatever end."

Optimus slowly smiled. "Thank you, Darkstorm."

"Of course," she returned the gesture. "And if you ever need further help, I have learned by experience that God is wise and that trusting in Him can bring much benefit."

"God. . . the One June always refers to?"

Darkstorm nodded. "And the best part is, He is always with you. Always. So never doubt Optimus. He made you Prime for a reason."

After Darkstorm left, Optimus was still ruminating on her words. "He made you Prime for a reason." Certainly, he was told that. The office of Prime was supposed to come from Primus himself. And yet. . . what good had ever come of it? Cybertron is destroyed. His race scattered to the four corners of the universe. . . And Elita. He neither knew if she was offline or not. Time and distance had weakened their bond.

Optimus vented again and buried his facial plating in his servos. He paused however, as he heard something. **"She speaks the truth. I made you Prime for a reason."**

Optimus' first thought was that it was Primus but Primus never spoke to his children. Primus watched from afar and granted rest after one was offlined but. . . never this.

**"I am not Primus. I am the king of kings and the Lord of lords, the one true God."**

"W-What do you wish to tell me?" Optimus asked softly, feeling more timid than when he first accepted the Matrix of Leadership.

**"Humility and a servant's heart are the true signs of a leader which is why I chose you. Do not despair, Optimus. Trust in Me and I shall help you."**

Optimus nodded his helm, in awe. "I am honored. . . but I have so many questions to ask you."

**"And the answer to all of them can be found in My Word: The Bible. . . You are never alone, Optimus. I am Your shield and protector. I will hold you by My right hand and guide you through this life, if you will allow me to do so."**

"Yes, I will allow it," he smiled. When Optimus heard no further reply, he reached for a data pad and immediately began to search for this "Bible".

Darkstorm was right. He was never alone.

* * *

_Skye is running. She's so close, she has to get there!_

_She can feel her lungs burning as she forces herself onward, even as her body is screaming at her, telling her it's already exhausted. This one last time, then she can rest._

_A shot rings out. She is paralyzed by the pain in her shoulder, which hits her before the sound does. She falls to her knees, hand over her left shoulder, shaking. She looks at her right hand, now covered with the blood from the wound. She puts her hand down, trying to push herself to her feet to continue on, but her hand is too slick and it slips, causing her to fall on her right shoulder and face._

_Then Skye hears it. A voice thundering through the air, bouncing off the walls to assault her ears again. It's a voice she hasn't heard before, yet it sends shivers down her spine like nothing before. It's the voice of pure fear. She puts her hands over her ears, but it doesn't block out the sound._

_Then the images. Behind her closed eyes, she can vividly see an image of a dying Optimus on the right, and Bumblebee's exposed spark flickering out on the left. Her eyes shoot open, replacing the images with the sight of the path ahead of her._

_I have to stop this. She forces herself to her feet, even as her shoulder feels like it's being torn asunder from her body. With her right hand covering the wound, she carries onward as fast as she can._

_She comes up on a clearing that draws her attention to something below her. Her eyes widen as she drops to her knees and extends her hand._

_"NOOO!"_

Skye gasped as she awoke. Her hand immediately checked her shoulder for a wound, her brow furrowing in confusion as she didn't find one. It felt so real . . . as real as when she lost her leg. As real as feeling that pistol to her head earlier that day.

She checked her phone for the time, which revealed that it was still the same day. She must've just clocked out easier than usual.

Darkstorm remained hidden in the shadows, watching her charge's actions. How long had she been hiding this from her? It broke her spark to see Skye so terrified. . . and to see her go through the same ordeal that had haunted her when she first came to the Autobot base.

"Care to tell me what's been going on?" Skye jumped and her eyes widened in fear momentarily before she realized it was her guardian.

She considered saying it was nothing, not wanting to worry the Seeker. But that wouldn't help any. She sighed. "Mind if we speak on the roof?"

"Of course not," Darkstorm answered softly.

She and her charge then began to make their ascent to the roof of the base. It was deathly quiet that night for the humans had all gone home and the 'Bots to their own quarters. Even those who were still in the med bay were deep in recharge. Darkstorm and Skye seemed to be the only ones awake.

When the two had reached their destination, Darkstorm turned to Skye. "Alright. We're here."

The girl sighed deeply then started walking towards the edge. "Have you ever had a nightmare? One that . . . that grips your heart in fear. And that you can't seem to shake after you wake up?"

Darkstorm vented, dark memories of her own nightmares coming back to haunt her. "Many times. Have you. . . had such nightmares recently?"

Skye sat down, her legs dangling over the edge of the roof. "Just before I lost my leg, I had these dreams. They were different each time and chaotic, but always involved a red car and someone losing a leg. I dreamt about this three or four times, and never paid it much heed. Until a red car hit mine and took my leg."

Skye rubbed her eyes. "Over the past few days, I've had three dreams similar to this, one of which you saw just now. They all involve me trying to reach some goal . . . something terrifying . . . then these two images. Everything else feels surreal and I can forget, but not those. One is of . . ." she gulped. "Of Optimus. Dead. Badly damaged, laying on rocks of some sort. And the other . . . is Bumblebee. Also . . . lifeless. A whole in his chest, sinking in water. Then I come up on a ledge, and something happens below me. That's when I wake up."

"Oh my. . ." Darkstorm gasped softly, placing a servo over her lip components. "I understand now why you be so terrified." She vented. "But if it is any consolation, I have had similar night terrors. . . Most of them with Megatron taunting me, saying that Optimus would never accept me, and offlining Bumblebee. I can recall one was with Skybreak and Skyquake, practically disowning me because I was an Autobot and allowing Megatron to execute me as a traitor. And. . . more recently, Skybreak ripping out Bumblebee's spark and throwing it at my peddes."

Skye's eyes went wide and she shook her head. "That's horrible." After a moment her gaze shifted to the horizon and she drew her legs up to her chest, placing her arms around them. "I just wish I knew what I see from that ledge. And what those images are. A cave, maybe?" She ran her hand through her hair and sighed.

"Well, I would not give those nightmares much thought," Darkstorm whispered as she gently sat down next to her charge. "Optimus and Bumblebee are not going to be offline any time soon. While it may be true that the nightmares about your leg came to pass, I am certain that these morbid visions are just bad dreams." Darkstorm cupped Skye in a servo as if embracing her. "Nothing is going to happen to them so you have nothing to fear."

Skye hugged her guardian back. "Thank you for listening. I know that it is probably nothing, but I can't shake this . . . sense. It's like dread and fear and confusion . . . and it's the worst part about the whole thing."

"That's just what it is, my dear Ski'ri. A sense and a feeling. I realize we are in a war but Megatron has tried ending Optimus' life before and failed every time. I could never imagine Optimus being so damaged. . . and Bumblebee-" Darkstorm vented slightly as fear began to plague her own spark. She loved him so much that she could not bear to lose him. Every time they leave on a mission, she fears for his safety. But Bumblebee has survived far worse. He was interrogated by Megatron himself and survived. Surely, he would stay with her until the war was over. Surely. And then they would be bonded. She smiled widely at the thought. "His skill in battle has caused him to survive far worse. Besides, I have faith that God will protect them both."

Skye sighed. "As do I. And I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow. It's just a bit . . . raw, at the moment, I guess. Sometimes it's hard to see reason with emotions blinding you."

"I know as well as anyone how that can feel. . ." Darkstorm vented before smiling softly. "But, as I said before, nothing shall happen to them. Those are dreams and nothing more." She paused before adding, "However. . . if it makes you feel better, you can always recharge closer to me or. . . I could stay up with you, if you wish."

Skye smiled back. "Thanks for the offer, but I think just being able to talk about it has helped. Like getting it in the open dispels it, ya know? Besides, you have an important job. I can't keep you up all night so I don't dream. They'll just come when I do crash anyway. If I do have to face them again, I'd rather do it on my terms, rather than run away from them until they corner me."

"What an interesting way of putting it," she chuckled. "You are certainly far braver than I. I could hardly bear them on my own. . . Bumblebee of course was kind enough to let me stay-" She finally realized what she was saying and her cooling fans activated. "-with him."

Skye smiled knowingly, or was that mischief? "Somehow I can picture that. But I'm hardly bearing it on my own. Like I said, getting it out there at least makes it seem less personal, less terrifying. Now I can at least think straight about it. And I'm not sure who else I could trust with this."

"Well, I for one, am honored that you have chosen to trust me, Ski'ri," Darkstorm smiled. "And you know I'll always be there to help, if you should need me."

"Thank you, Dar'sain." Skye paused and turned her head. "And ditto. I may not be able to do much, but trust is a two-way street. If I trust you to deal with my demons, I'm here for you too." Her expression and tone turned to one of teasing. "Even though you have your noble fiance to take care of you now."

Darkstorm's cooling fans increased in volume as she fiddled with her digits. "Er . . . yes, I suppose I do."

Her charge giggled. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." Her smile slowly dropped. "Seriously though, I'm still willing to help when I can. And thank you so much for your support."

"Of course. I am all too happy to help," Darkstorm smiled widely. "Now, I suggest we head to my quarters. You need your rest."

Skye rubbed her eyes with one hand and huffed. "After the day I've had, I'd say that's an understatement. It's not everyday that I have a gun pointed to my head."

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component as her spark ached for her charge. "I do realize you wished to go on the mission but still . . ." She vented. "I fear to know what could have happened if my brother had not intervened. You are sure that you wish to continue to do this?"

She sighed. "I was thinking the same thing just before he showed up. But seeing the punishment you all take, I think I can handle a little adrenaline rush. Besides, everyone else finds ways to help. Raf is a master hacker, Agent Fowler has the government on his side, and Jack performed quite the feat helping you. I have to help somehow, and I'm more than happy doing it in the field." She looked up at her guardian. "I don't mean to worry you, though. Maybe . . . maybe I can rig some sort of personal shield or . . . something. I just go nuts thinking about sitting on my hands while you and your team are out there fighting for my planet."

"I know," Darkstorm vented. "and I do realize that you wish to help. That is your right. But . . . now that I have known you, I could not bear to lose you, Ski'ri."

Skye placed a hand on one of Darkstorm's digits. "And you won't, Dar'sain. I promise. I just . . . I think back to when MECH stole Bumblebee's T-Cog and think that if only I'd been prepared, I could have stopped them. If they had taken his spark rather than the T-Cog, you would've lost your scout and I still would've been helpless to stop it. Were I in that situation now, I could help."

Darkstorm vented once more and nodded. "I know. . . but next time, you should at least comm me or any one of us when things get that dangerous."

Skye nodded back. "I will."

"Good," she smiled softly as she stood up. "Now, the rest I mentioned before?"

"Sounds lovely," Skye said as she followed suit. They then quietly made their way back inside to Darkstorm's quarters.

Darkstorm carefully laid herself on the metal berth, trying not to irritate her sensitive wings. "Goodnight, Ski'ri," she whispered.

"Sleep well, Dar'sain." Skye stretched out on her bed as she spoke.

Darkstorm slowly offlined her optics but, before her processor completely shut down, she prayed.

Please, Jesus, protect my charge. Allow these nightmares to cease and continue to help my team. And I wish to thank you for everything you have done so far. Thank you, she thought before she drifted off to sleep.

**A/N: Whew *wipes imaginary sweat off of forehead* Sorry it took so long, you guys. But between college, high school, and family stuff, I've been booked. I do hope however that you enjoyed the chappie that me and blondie so lovingly labored over. And I hope that you kept the victims of 9/11 in your prayers this week.**

**Also, if you would continue to pray for my friend Demi, I would be very obliged. She's having really bad nightmares like Skye and. . . well, I hope she'll be okay. And my friend Gabby too. She's been having a ton of doubts lately.**

**A/N: Another down, eh? Well, thanks for hanging with us this far :D despite . . . late updates and stupid life getting in the way : Dream'sRealm has her school stuff, while I am gaining a new appreciation for motherhood whilst taking care of a 7 week-old chihuahua. Adorable, yes. A lot of work, you bet! But soo cuuuuute :3 and distracting. Thanks for all the support! 8D**

**Theme song: "Fight" by Icon For Hire**

**"O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships: there is that leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season. . . I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless thou the Lord, O my soul. Praise ye the Lord." Psalm 104: 24-28**

**I hope y'all have a nice weekend and may God bless you!**

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to Transformers Prime or its canon characters. We do however own our OCs. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher and Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Drift, Jolt, and Shiv.**

Darkstorm onlined her optics and stretched out on her berth, her wings twitching up and down as they had processors of their own. She looked over at her charge and smiled when she saw that she was sleeping soundly. Skye held a peaceful expression as she shifted slightly in her sleep. Darkstorm spark warmed at this.

Thank you, God, she silently prayed as she carefully got up from her berth. As softly as she could, she made her way towards the door but it seemed like Skye was beginning to awaken. She yawned and stretched much like her charge and gazed over at her drowsily.

" 'Morning, 'Storm," she greeted.

"Good morning, Skye. I take it you had a pleasant recharge?" Darkstorm smiled.

Skye smiled back. "Better than it has been." She yawned again. "And yourself?"

"Quite well, thank you for asking. Now, what do you say to some breakfast?"

"I say as long as it's not scrambled eggs and salsa it sounds lovely." She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "That was a horrible experience."

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge. "Agent Fowler did provide some human food items. However, I am unfamiliar with most of them. We will try to do what we can, however." Darkstorm began walking towards the small room where the Autobots usually consumed their energon rations and gestured for Skye to follow.

Skye stretched her arms as she walked. "So, anything particularly engaging happening today?"

"Not that I can tell. No Decepticon activity has been reported . . . though Optimus is away meeting with General Bryce, I believe it was. Agent Fowler insisted that Optimus report that all is well to the human military himself and try to convince them to take the bounty off of our helms," Darkstorm shook her helm. "As if what happened was our fault."

"That's the military for you, even in England. Blame rolls downhill, and it's usually the people just trying to do right by others who get burned."

"That does seem to be the case," Darkstorm vented. "I just pray that our leader is able to smooth things over." Her expression brightened as she reached the others.

_"Good morning, 'Storm. Good morning, Skye!"_

"Good morning, 'Bee," Darkstorm smiled widely.

Skye simply smiled and waved before a table with food caught her attention. She approached it, smiling as she opened a box resting atop it. "Americans and their donuts." She smiled as she spoke before removing one of the pastries and taking a seat on the couch.

"So how've you been, kid?" Skybreak smiled.

Skye wiped some glaze from her face. "Can't complain. Everything's going well for you, I hope?"

Skybreak shrugged slightly and smirked. "Can't complain."

Darkstorm chuckled at her brother's response before turning to Bumblebee. "So when are Raf and the others expected to arrive?"

_"Later. They all have school today,"_ her scout replied.

"Ah," she mused. "That's right. They have school."

"And since Optimus is out . . . we need something to do," Skye mused before gasping and waving her guardian over.

Darkstorm raised an optic ridge but complied. "Yes?"

Skye got up from her spot and approached the Seeker. "You remember what we talked about the other night? A certain event for which we're planning?" She whispered as she spoke. "How about we do some shopping for said event?"

"Oh," recognize flashed across Darkstorm's features. "Well, if you wish, then I would love to."

"And what would this event be, Sister?" Skybreak asked curiously.

"Er . . . it's . . . well . . ." Darkstorm looked to her charge for help.

"There's something of a . . . rite of passage for humans, but really only for us girls. Basically it's just a day out on the town, shopping, talking about girl stuff . . . ya know. And it's an 'event' because . . . they take a lot of planning and . . . stuff." Skye smiled nervously, her expression displaying her hope that he would be satisfied with that explanation.

"Rite of passage for human femmes, huh?" Skybreak's tone expressed that he wasn't entirely convinced.

"Then am I invited to this event?" Arcee asked.

Darkstorm's wings twitched violently. "Er . . . yes, that's a terrific idea!" Arcee raised an optic ridge suspiciously.

"I would volunteer Miko to go with but, she isn't too into shopping," Bulkhead said.

"That's fine. Something tells me today's brand of shopping isn't exactly her style." She smiled as she spoke so it wouldn't sound as exclusive. Not that she'd meant for it to be, but in her nervous state figuring out what to say, or what not to say, was a bit harder than usual.

"Well, then. Let's go," Arcee stood up. "Any idea where this 'rite of passage' is supposed to take place though?"

Skye exhaled and ran her fingers through her hair. "Good question, actually. I'd say in town, but I'm not sure what options there are here. Couldn't hurt to check though, or we could hit a city shop." Skye stopped to think for a moment. "Actually yeah, let's do that. I'd rather not spend all day looking and come up empty-handed. And I know some places have entire city blocks of shops to peruse."

"You could always try New York," Jolt suggested. Everyone looked at him curiously. "What? The Nemesis had cable."

Skye stifled a laugh. "That actually doesn't sound too bad. I'm just . . . envisioning everyone aboard the warship crammed into one room, watching the news. Or some sappy sit-com."

"Not far from the truth actually," Drift chuckled. "Some favorites among the miners and Vehicons are football games, Tom and Jerry, or Criminal Minds."

Skye couldn't hold back this time. "Well, at least the Decepticons have good taste," she said as she wiped a tear away. "Odd thing is that Criminal Minds doesn't surprise me as much as Tom and Jerry. The former seems more . . . attune to the 'Con ideal, even if it is a fantastic show."

"Criminal Minds?" Shiv scoffed. "I'd take Fast and the Furious any day." He grinned. "Some humans got schwagg."

"Oh, Criminal Minds has some fancy driving. Nothing you say can make me betray my allegiance."

"Whatever ya say, doll."

"Alright," Darkstorm laughed. "I suggest we get going." Darkstorm turned to leave before her brother grabbed her shoulder plating.

"Wait. . . you'll comm me, right? Just so I know you're okay?"

"Yes, Brother. I'll be just fine. There is no need to worry," Darkstorm smiled and placed a servo over that of her brother's. "I will be back soon. I promise."

Skybreak reluctantly let his sister go as she, Arcee, and Skye went through the ground bridge to an isolated part of New York, though it was still only a small walking distance to the shopping centers there.

He vented once they disappeared and turned to the others. "Rite of passage, huh? Please. She's hiding something from me."

"Eh, I'm sure it's nothing, Sky. You know how femmes are," Bulkhead said.

_"Yeah . . . Besides, if it was something serious, she would have told you already. You're her brother, after all,"_ Bumblebee added though his tanks sunk slightly. Yeah, anything serious but the fact that they're . . . what's the human term? Oh, yeah. Engaged. Mech, Skybreak'll have his helm when he finds out. . .

He relaxed slightly. "Yeah . . . You're probably right." Skybreak paused before turning to the others with a smirk. "Now, since boss bot is out, why don't I kick all your afts at Gears of War again?"

_"Oh, you're on!"_ Bumblebee exclaimed.

"Metallica blaring from the stereo again?" Drift smiled knowingly.

"You know it," Skybreak grinned. In truth, he was starting to become addicted to the human rock band. He couldn't quite put a digit on it but, it just clicked.

"Hey, as long as we get some Lecrae up in here, it's all good," Shiv smirked.

Ratchet grumbled, thinking of all the noise that would be echoing through the base and distracting him from his work. "Just stay away from the med bay."

"Whatever you say, Doc," Jolt laughed.

Ratchet rolled his optics as he walked down the hall. Younglings. . .

* * *

Skye was stunned just looking into the store from the outside, but she couldn't believe she was actually standing in it. Every little girl imagined having a beautiful princess-esque ballroom dress to be wed in, but being surrounded by just about every variety of dress in existence . . . she felt like royalty.

She led Arcee and Darkstorm to the counter, behind which was a young woman in a more professional outfit than Skye had ever seen anywhere but on TV. NYC truly lived up to expectations.

The young woman looked up from an open magazine laying next to the cash register. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Skye smiled and looked at her guardian. "Do you want to let the cat out of the bag, or shall I?"

"I believe you can do the honors," Darkstorm smiled.

"Alright then." Skye looked back to the store clerk. "My friend here is getting married, and we were hoping you could help her find the perfect dress."

"Certainly." She looked to Darkstorm. "Congratulations. Do you have a style in mind?"

Skye shared a glance with the Seeker that wasn't so much confusion, but just having no idea. "Em, I think that's kinda what we're hoping to find here today."

The clerk smiled. "Very well." She came out from behind the counter and started showing the group around. Arcee and Skye hung back as Darkstorm was shown more dress styles than any of them could fathom.

Her optics widened slightly behind her sunglasses as she beheld all the garments. There are so many, she thought, astonished. How am I ever going to pick? "Umm. . ." Darkstorm surveyed the dresses once more before inwardly giving up trying to pick one out. She let her hand go over the selection until she paused when she felt something soft, almost like a cloud. She pulled it out slightly to get a better look. It was a plain silk dress with a flowing train. The only decoration on it was an arrangement of . . . white stones? near the waist. Still, even though it was not as extravagant as the other dresses, Darkstorm felt that it was perfect. "This one should suffice."

The clerk nodded at the selection. "Would you like to try it on?"

Skye laughed and examined it herself. "Oh, there's no way she's walking out of here without trying it on." The clerk smiled back and led Darkstorm to the dressing rooms in the back of the store.

Arcee crossed her arms and smiled as the Seeker was escorted off. "Getting married, huh? When did this happen?"

Skye mimicked the gesture. "Apparently our little date for them was more successful than we expected. The trick is just going to be keeping it quiet. You and I are the only ones who know, and I think it's best, for Bumblebee's safety at the very least, that we keep it that way."

"Couldn't have said it better than myself, though I think I can handle Skybreak's temper tantrums," Arcee smirked.

A few more minutes passed by before Darkstorm reluctantly came out of the dressing room. The dress seemed to fit her like a glove. She fiddled with her hands somewhat sheepishly and nervously adjusted her glasses. "So. . . do you think this is adequate?"

Skye's eyes widened. "You look beautiful! Though, we may want to get you a pair of contacts, those shades kinda throw the elegant look off." Skye smiled. "But more on that later. How do you like it?"

"It certainly is lovely," Darkstorm smiled.

"I definitely agree. The pearls really suit you," the store clerk added.

"Pearls. . . so that's what they were," she absent-mindedly mused.

The clerk looked at Skye and Arcee. "Are you needing dresses as well?"

Skye smiled. "Probably, yes."

"Any specific color? Weddings typically have a color theme that the bridesmaids' dresses follow."

"Actually, I don't know." Skye looked at her guardian. "Anything specific come to mind, Dawn? This is your special day, after all. You should be the one to pick."

Darkstorm dwelt on this before answering, "I believe you two should have the choice." She chuckled slightly. "And, while the idea may be far from appealing to her, I suppose we should get Miko one as well."

Skye brought her hand to her chin in a pensive pose. "Well, I imagine she would want something purple . . . somehow that just seems like her. I'm kind of inclined to go with it too, since black and purple are your 'theme,' and black is usually for less joyous occasions. Unless . . . oo, do you have any black dresses with purple adornments?"

The clerk nodded. "Certainly. We have black in almost every style, and you can add a purple sash for color."

Skye smiled at Arcee and Darkstorm. "Guess it's my turn to browse." She turned and started sifting through the racks. After several minutes, she came down to two styles. One was a two-piece, a strapless top with a mid-length skirt with ragged ends. The other was a simple one-piece and long, designed to cling to the body. Skye loved the first one, but wasn't sure she wanted to display her leg with the knee-length skirt. The other was simple, but she felt was almost too similar to Darkstorm's choice.

She turned to the others, holding up the choices. "Which do you think?"

Darkstorm smiled knowingly at her charge as she saw her attachment to the first dress. "I suggest the first one. . . I am sure we can work something out later, however, if you are uncomfortable."

Skye looked to the dress and sighed before looking to Arcee. "And you, em . . . Amy?" Skye wasn't sure of Arcee's human name and just went with the first "A" name that came to mind.

She smiled, looking between the two. "I think I agree with Dawn, the shorter one."

Skye handed the long dress to the store clerk and turned to the dressing rooms. "Guess I'm going with this one. I'll be back in a sec."

It took several minutes with the aid of the clerk to finish, but eventually Skye emerged from the dressing room. She sighed then shyly approached Darkstorm and Arcee, not knowing how the latter would react to her leg.

She spun, showing off the corset lacing in the back before facing them again. "Well?"

Arcee took her prosthetic in stride and smiled. "You looked beautiful, Skye."

"I agree," Darkstorm grinned. "Positively radiant."

Skye felt her face get hot and knew she was blushing. "Thanks." She shrugged as she spoke. "I can wear a thin purple sash around the waist so it's not so . . . dark." She smiled as she looked at Arcee. "Your turn."

Arcee sighed resignedly and followed the clerk into a back room. Truth be told, she wasn't fond of dresses either but. . . if it was for Darkstorm. . .

The femme eventually returned with a purple dress that consisted of a strapless corset top and a skirt that went just above the knee but clung to the body more than Skye's dress. "Is this okay, Dawn?"

She giggled. "Quite, Amy. You look wonderful!"

Skye smiled. "That looks great on you. Now, question is how do we sneak them into the base without the guys seeing? It's bad luck if they do, not to mention . . . if your brother found out."

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip and glanced downwards nervously. "Indeed. . ."

"Ah, family problems?" the clerk asked. "I could always save them for you here and you could pick them up later if it will cause that much trouble."

"Oh, it's just . . . her brother is a bit protective, and," Skye motioned to Arcee and herself. "We're the only two who know about it, for the safety of the groom. But if you could hold them that would be lovely."

"Of course," she smiled and nodded.

"And. . . would you happen to have a dress similar to hers," Darkstorm gestured to Skye, "but in a slightly smaller size? There is a member of our company that was unable to join us."

"Another one? Yes, I'll pick one out right now."

The clerk left and Darkstorm sighed to herself. "My brother. . ."

Skye ran her fingers through her hair. "Skybreak's gonna have a cow when he finds out."

"A cow is an understatement. . ." Darkstorm trailed off and sighed once more before smiling. "But, enough of that. I should be happy and not worrying about what my brother may think. I will bond with Bumblebee with or without his approval."

Skye smiled. "That's the spirit. Besides, he'll learn to live with it when he sees how happy the two of you will be. Already are, actually."

"I suppose. . ."

"That or we can beat some sense into him. Either way, still works," Arcee shrugged.

Darkstorm laughed. "Alright. Just don't be too hard on him." She paused before adding, "Now, I suggest we change out of these dresses."

"Ditto," Arcee agreed as she walked towards one of the changing rooms.

"Probably not a bad idea. Though," Skye reached behind her back but couldn't reach the lacing of the corset. "I may need some help getting extracted from mine."

"I believe I can aid with that," Darkstorm giggled.

Once they were in the privacy of a changing room, she began skillfully untying the laces. "Well, I'd say this has been quite fun."

"I'd agree. Though the day isn't done yet." Skye smiled. "Next is shoes."

Darkstorm raised an eyebrow before laughing. "My, my, I never realized we'd be doing THIS much planning."

"Absolutely! Don't worry, I'll spare you the makeup. At least for today. But anytime you get a new dress, you have to get shoes to match."

"Makeup?" Darkstorm paused, being unfamiliar with the word.

"Eh . . . you know, eye-liner, lipstick, eye shadow. Some girls wear it everyday, some never do. I opt to only wear it for special occasions. And this certainly qualifies."

Darkstorm still looked confused but she nodded. "I see. . ." she smiled. "Well, shoes next it is then." She finished untying the lace in Skye's corset and then went to change out of her own dress. After that was finished, the three femmes bid the store clerk goodbye.

"Just come back whenever you feel ready and congratulations again!" she waved.

Skye looked around once they got outside. "Shoe stores are probably more abundant than clothing stores, and that's saying something." She sighed then nodded to a store across the street. "That looks like a good place to start." The other two followed her to the store.

Her eyes went wide as soon as they entered. "Wow! Have you ever seen so many shoes?"

They must've been surrounded by thousands of shoes. There were several hanging signs, displaying the locations of women's formal, men's casual, and everything in between. They group shuffled to the back corner, where the formalwear was located.

Skye grabbed a shoe on display that had a 5-inch heel. "Now see, these I don't understand. That is just asking for a broken ankle."

"Humans try to walk in those?" Arcee snorted.

Darkstorm tried to withhold a laugh. "Well, Starscream seems to manage just fine."

Skye laughed almost to the point of tears. "You almost have to feel bad for the guy. I imagine he gets quite a bit of grief over those heels." She put the shoe back. "Now . . ." she glanced at the shelves. "I suggest something pretty but comfortable. Dark-eh, Dawn, you could probably get away with even flip-flops with your dress if you want. But I wouldn't suggest anything over three inches for heels. Your feet may begin to cramp, and I speak from experience."

"Alright," Darkstorm muttered before turning to the various shoe racks. Why must humans always make things so complicated? Hmm. . . perhaps she should try shoes that match the color of her dress? Her brow furrowed. Or was there another human tradition that stated otherwise? She shook her head and randomly picked out a pair of white slippers that seemed to be her size. "Would this be sufficient?"

Skye smiled. "Those should be just fine. You're lucky, no one will see your feet. The rest of us aren't so lucky." She turned to examine the racks herself.

Darkstorm frowned slightly. "I said before that I could work something out. . . I may not be an experienced medic nor an expert on human biology but I am certain I could make a covering of some kind, if you feel that uncomfortable."

Her charge shrugged. "It's not so much a covering as something I can keep my balance in. I had trouble dealing with needle-thin heels before the accident. Now, I can't wear anything that doesn't have a wide base." She grabbed a shoe that had a two-inch heel and a fairly wide base. She turned it over, examining it. "This may do."

Darkstorm smiled slightly. "Yes, I believe so, as well."

Meanwhile, Arcee's brow subtly furrowed. So this is what Skye had been hiding from all of them. Bumblebee had told her about a car accident but she never quite found out the details. . . Once she thought about it, Skye was in her adoptive brother's situation. They both were incomplete. And it saddened Arcee to think about it. The kid was certainly brave, to handle this without a moment's complaint.

"I bet they'll look great on you, Skye," Arcee finally said.

Skye was slipping her shoes off, but paused to look up at her. "Thank you." She smiled before finally sliding out of hers and strapping on one of the heels.

"Positively darling," Darkstorm smiled before pausing as she saw a pair that caught her eye. They were purple with a slight heel and straps that criss-crossed a few inches above the ankle. "Amy, I believe these would suit you."

Arcee raised an eyebrow and took the pair from Darkstorm. "Huh. Well, I guess it's worth a try." She carefully slipped off a leather boot, trying not to irritate her still sore frame, and put on one of the heels. She tilted her head and admired it. "Huh. Not bad."

"Not bad indeed," Darkstorm giggled.

Skye smiled. "Fits you like a glove." She stood, now wearing both heels, and walked a few steps away from the other two before turning and coming back.

Darkstorm chuckled and shook her head. "I still cannot understand how you two can walk in those."

Arcee got up and also began walking. "Takes balance. Besides, it isn't that bad once you've gotten used to it."

Skye sat and switched shoes again. "Takes a lot of practice to be comfortable wearing them, let alone walking. I remember for volleyball, we had to dress up the days we had games, which included heels. I had to wear them for a week straight just to have any sort of grace walking in them at first. Now it's like riding a bicycle."

"Still . . . I do not believe I will be trying them anytime soon," she laughed. "With the amount of grace I have, I would mostly break something important."

Skye laughed. "You want lack of grace, you should've seen me when I was first out in the world with my prosthetic. Walking around a hospital room is one thing, but once I had to deal with rocks and hills, I probably looked ridiculous."

Arcee half smiled. "I can imagine it must have been hard."

Skye shrugged. "You learn to deal. You can either go on living or sit at home, sulk and never live again. Too many people go with the latter, but I would go nuts, especially considering where I am now."

That's the spirit, Arcee thought. "My sentiments exactly. Sulking won't change anything. You have to get up and move forward."

"It sounds like you speak from experience. Though . . . considering that you've been at war for who knows how long, you probably have more experience on the subject than I."

Arcee's face contorted as she thought about her partners. She was trying to obey this human Primus and forgive. . . In fact, she has been feeling better in doing so but still. . . it was hard. "You could say that."

Skye winced. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up." She ran her fingers through her hair and took a deep breath. "Well, I guess we can pay for these then head back to base. If you two are okay with it, that is."

"It's alright. Let's just say a certain human Primus has been helping me," Arcee smiled. "There's no need to apologize."

"Well, I suppose we should get going," Darkstorm smiled. "Is there anywhere else you would wish to go though, Skye?"

"Not at the moment," Skye shrugged before smiling. "And I believe it would be best for us to call it a day."

Darkstorm silently agreed and went up to the front to pay for the shoes. There was some "emergency" money provided by Agent Fowler due to the presence of the children at the base. She was certain a few hundred dollars would not be missed. They barely used the human currency anyway, except for Skye's anemities.

The shoes were paid for and the three femmes then exited the store and began walking towards the location in which their ground bridge originally brought them. Darkstorm stopped short, however, as she thought of something. "Oh, no! I forgot to turn on my comm link." Instead of placing a servo to her audio receptor like she would if she was herself, her holoform dug out a cellphone-like device from one of her pant pockets. She activated the communication device and winced as she heard yelling on the other line, so loud it could be heard across the aisle.

"Darkstorm! If you don't answer, I'm taking a ground bridge to your location and-"

Darkstorm blushed embarassedly as people in the street began to look over at her curiously. "Brother, please. I did not respond because I forgot to activate my comm link. Now please, lower your voice. We are in a public place."

Her brow furrowed however as she heard the sound of weapons firing and . . . human rap music? "I told ya she was fine," Shiv said in the background.

She could practically see her brother roll his optics. "Yeah, yeah. Now, could you please turn back to AC/DC? That scrap is hurting my audials," he called out before addressing Darkstorm once more. "So, you'll be back soon?"

". . . Yes, we will. I promise."

"Good. See you-" Skybreak paused mid-sentence and Darkstorm's heart nearly leapt out of her chest at what she heard next. "You did what?!" Bumblebee beeped out a reply but Darkstorm could barely make it out. Her optics widened immensely. Oh, no. . . He knew?! "Prepare to be terminated, scout," Skybreak hissed. A commotion could be heard and the comm link was abruptly cut off.

"Something wrong?" Arcee asked, slightly worried.

Darkstorm offered no answer but instead took off running. She was no longer conscious of the bag hanging off of one of her arms nor of Arcee and Skye following her. There was only thing on her mind at that point. Her beloved scout.

Oh, God, please allow him to be alright.

"Ratchet, I need a ground bridge now," Darkstorm barked into her comm link. There was only static. "Ratchet?" Still, nothing. Darkstorm began to internally panic. "Ratchet?!"

"Darkstorm! What's happening?!" Skye asked incredulously.

Chest heaving, Darkstorm frantically looked around the clearing. Slaggit. What was going on?! Ratchet should have received her transmission.

Arcee pulled out her own comm. "Ratchet? Do you copy?" There was still no response. After a few moments of tense silence however, a ground bridge portal appeared. Fearing the worst, Arcee and Darkstorm immediately deactivated their holoforms and ran in, weapons drawn. Skye followed close behind.

Skybreak and Bumblebee appeared to be wrestling on the ground near the base's television set. Mistaking Bumblebee's trilling laughter for screams in her frightened state, she ran forward and grabbed ahold of one of her brother's wings.

Her brother let out a small yell of pain. "Ow! Sister, what the pit are you-?"

Arcee, having observed the so-called fight more clearly, tried to stop Darkstorm. "Storm!"

The Seeker paid her no heed. With strength Skybreak didn't realize his sister possessed, she slammed him diagonally away from the scout who was also trying to calm her down.

_"Storm, I'm fine! We were just messing around!"_

Skybreak's optics widened as one of his sister's blades was placed against his throat cables. "Leave him be. It was my choice to make!" she hissed, red optics glowing dangerously.

"Your choice to-? Sister, has your processor glitched? I wasn't hurting the mech. He just made me lose a round of Halo and we were wrestling," Skybreak asked with a mix of confusion and worry at seeing Darkstorm like this.

The weight of what she just did came crashing onto her. Oh, no. . . Oh, no, no, no. This was not happening. "Wrestling?" she whispered as she immediately withdrew her weapon from her brother's throat.

_"Yes. I'm fine, Storm. See?" _And it was true. Bumblebee was whole and very much online.

Skye brought a hand to her forehead. "Boys."

"B-But, why didn't Ratchet respond? I-I thought. . ."

"Yes, about that-" Drift rubbed the back of his helm sheepishly. "Jolt and Bulkhead got a bit too enthusiastic during a game of lobbing and umm. . . one of the communication networks went offline."

Darkstorm's wings lowered as she felt her brother's gaze on her. "O-Oh, I see. . ."

"Darkstorm, explain to me. What did you mean when you said it 'was your choice to make'? Why were you afraid that I would hurt the scout?"

Her optics widened. "I-I meant nothing by it. It was s-simply a slip of the glossa. I-"

Bumblebee vented and placed a servo on Darkstorm's shoulder plating._ "Storm, you know he would find out eventually. And I can see that keeping this secret is slowly tearing you apart. . . We can't start off like this."_ Bumblebee squared his shoulders and turned to face Skybreak. _"The reason 'Storm was so upset was because she was afraid you would do something brash when you found out. . . that I asked her to be my sparkmate and she said yes."_

Darkstorm weighed her brother's reactions carefully but, in the end, there was nothing for her to weigh. Her brother's face was like a mask.

_"I was going to ask your permission but we both thought against it. After all, you said so yourself, if Darkstorm wasn't here, you wouldn't hesitate to offline every single one of us,"_ Bumblebee continued.

"But, why?" he turned to Darkstorm. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Would you have approved? I realize that you are changing but then, it was different. Would you have given us your blessing and been thankful that we were happy?" Darkstorm asked softly.

Skybreak dwelt on his sister's answer. "No," he whispered. "I tried though. Believe me, I tried, despite the difficulties. It was hard, Sister. Seeing you with an Autobot. Seeing you with the scout that offlined Skyquake. . . But you are right. I have changed." Darkstorm looked at her brother in disbelief. No yelling? Or screaming? No death threats or violence?

Skybreak vented before meeting the scout's gaze. "It is hard for any brother to see his sister mature. . . but I must learn to respect my sister's wishes." He chuckled slightly. "You're actually not that bad, for an Autobot."

"So. . . you do approve?" Darkstorm asked hopefully.

"I don't like seeing you so stressed, and all because of me at that. If he makes you happy, then go for it."

Skybreak was nearly thrown backwards as his sister embraced him happily. "Thank you," she whispered.

Skybreak smiled before turning to the scout seriously. "Don't make me change my mind, scout."

_"Of course,"_ he chuckled.

Skybreak turned to Skye, amused. "Mech, I should've figured this out sooner with this human femme 'rite of passage' slag. Secrets don't make friends, Skye," he teased.

The girl shrugged. "And you've had a sister how long? You should know women are social creatures that keep better secrets than silver does its luster."

Skybreak raised an optic ridge at the comparison. "I've had a sister for approximately eighteen thousand one hundred and sixty-five Earth years but she's never kept a secret like this from me." He turned to Darkstorm. "You won't wait several stellar cycles before telling me you're sparked or about some other important event, will you?"

"Please," she snorted. "If you found out I was sparked, you'd use 'Bee for target practice."

"Well. . ." Skybreak grinned widely with an almost eerie glint in his crimson optics. "I wouldn't say that." Bumblebee shivered slightly. He knew 'Storm would protect him and, quite frankly, he has faced worse opponents but still. . . Skybreak never ceased to set him on edge.

"And I suppose I wouldn't say that I'd strap you to a surgical berth and disengage your cannons if you ever tried something of that sort," Darkstorm smirked, a similar eerie glint in her optics. But then again. Darkstorm could match her brother if someone she loved was threatened. . . Bumblebee inwardly chuckled.

Skybreak's optics widened. "Okay, okay. Yeesh. I won't do it, alright? Just don't touch my cannons."

"Glad we understand each other," Darkstorm grinned.

"Yes, now if you all are quite finished, can someone clean up that mess?" Ratchet asked irritatedly and gestured to the main room of the base. Several dents marred the far walls and the video game console lay near the television set in a crumbled mess of metal and wiring.

"Good luck trying to explain that to Miko," Bulkhead chuckled, referring to the childrens' beloved video game system.

Darkstorm pinched the bridge of her upper facial plating and shook her helm. "Brother. . ."

Skye put her hand over her mouth. "It looks like a warzone! Well, have fun cleaning it all up."

"It was his fault!" Skybreak pointed at Bumblebee.

_"My fault?! You're the one who tackled me and rolled over the game!"_ Bumblebee defended.

"You sound like elementary schoolgirls!" Skye couldn't help but smile as she spoke. "Or bickering squirrels."

Skybreak huffed. "I'm simply telling the truth here."

_"More like blaming someone else so you won't have to get stuck with clean-up duty,"_ Bumblebee muttered.

Meanwhile, Drift quietly grabbed a few welding tools and hammer-like objects in order to fix the dents in the wall. Bulkhead, Jolt, and Shiv soon joined them. "Why can't you be like Drift and the others and just take it quietly?" Darkstorm vented wearily.

"Please leave me out of this," Drift muttered under his breath.

Skybreak rolled his optics and grumbled as he began to pick up the pieces of the broken game. "Fine, fine."

Darkstorm nearly jumped out of her frame as she heard Ratchet yell. "AND WOULD SOMEONE TURN OFF THAT GARBAGE?! I can't work in these conditions!"

"Hey, Doc, it's just Avenged Sevenfold. Get some taste, will ya old timer?" Skybreak retorted irritatedly.

The Seeker shielded her charge and Bumblebee jumped aside as a wrench flew towards her brother and hit him squarely in the back of his helm. "Don't call me Doc!" Arcee and the others fought to hold in their laughter.

Skybreak dropped the pieces as he slowly stood up and faced the Autobot medic. "That was a bad mistake, Doc," he hissed.

"Brother, please," Darkstorm held him back.

"He's the one that threw a fragging wrench at me!"

"Well, if you hadn't been so rude, then maybe he wouldn't have," Darkstorm replied and met her brother's wrathful gaze. "Brother. . . remember what you promised me, and calm down."

Skybreak vented heavily. "Fine," he muttered, still slightly angered, as an incoming ground bridge request was received.

It was Optimus. Ratchet shot Skybreak a glare before activating the ground bridge so that their leader could step through. When Optimus finally reached the base's interior, his optics widened slightly as he beheld the mess.

He was silent for several moments before he asked, "Might I inquire as to what happened here?"

_"Well, Bulk and Jolt got a little carried away during a game of lobbing and. . . so did the rest of us mechs while we were playing Gears of War and Halo,"_ Bumblebee replied, rubbing the back of his helm sheepishly.

Optimus raised an optic ridge and turned to Arcee. "Don't look at me," she chuckled. "Storm, Skye, and I went dress and shoe shopping." From the confused look that flashed across Optimus' facial plating, one could only guess that he was wondering why exactly the three femmes completed such an errand.

"It's. . . well, for my and Bumblebee's wedding. Skye insisted on having a human ceremony and since Earth is our second home, I consented," Darkstorm explained.

Optimus slowly smiled. "Well, congratulations, to the both of you."

_"Thank you, Optimus,"_ Bumblebee smiled.

Darkstorm followed suite. "Though I suppose you already knew this was going to happen, didn't you?"

Emotion flashed in his optics. . . Was that. . . mischievousness that Darkstorm saw? "Perhaps. . ."

Their attention was diverted as they heard a loud crash. "Er. . . sorry," Bulkhead could be heard saying.

"Now, I suggest we move on to cleaning up this mess," Optimus vented.

**A/N: Well, that's a wrap, folks! :D Once again, thank you for all your support and we do hope you enjoyed this chappie. We tried to make it as full of humor and romance as we possibly could.**

**I also want to warn you that I have a much larger workload this year due to college and high school work so, if our updates become sporadic, it's my fault and I apologize in advance.**

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**

**To Savvy Orion: Thank you so much for the compliments and, as I mentioned in my previous Author's Note, we will be including Elita One later on as well as Flareup and Moonracer so, definitely look out for that!**

**A/N: Moyashi here, guys~ *sigh* way to drag the girls into the clean-up, eh boys? But yay for girly stuffs . . . well, for them anyway. I'd probably opt to stay with the guys and play Halo, but I admit my insanity, so there ya go. Hope ya enjoyed this chappie and a chance for everyone to let their hair down~ as always, tankies a bunch for all the support~ hugs all around!**

**"I call on You, O God, for You will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer: Show the wonder of Your great love, You who save by Your right hand those who take refuge in You from their foes. Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings." Psalm 17: 6-8**

**Theme Song: Good to Be Alive by Skillet**


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to Transformers Prime or its canon characters. We do however own our OCs. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher and Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Drift, Jolt, and Shiv.**

Skye laid across the couch, studying the white tip of the lock of hair she twirled between her fingers. Was it finally time she cut it? The white had almost become a part of her identity, and she had to admit it added a certain unique aspect that she appreciated. If only it held color, though. Every time she dyed it, the color washed out in weeks, but at least now it was at the tips, rather than in the middle like Death the Kid or something.

Still, it was a reminder the world could see of her accident. And it brought the questions . . . so it still remained, to cut or not to cut?

"I still can't believe he broke it," Miko grumbled under her breath, referring to the broken video game console.

"It's okay, Miko. I'm sure we could always get another one," Raf encouraged.

Skye looked at the kids. "Yeah, I should be able to acquire another, no problem. Just need to know where to find one and we're golden."

Miko shot a glare towards Skybreak's general direction before turning to Skye. "There should be a video game store by KO Burger, right Jack?"

"Yeah. We could always get one there." He looked to Skye. "But new systems are pricey. You sure you can just buy another?"

"Of course." She sat up. "I have plenty of money in my name, may as well put some to good use."

"Thanks, Skye," Miko grinned before her expression turned sour again. "But if we do get another one, keep it away from him." She pointed to the mech Seeker.

Skye giggled. "I'm afraid the only way we can assure that is to not allow him run of the place when all of the adults are out."

Skybreak, who had been listening in on the conversation, turned around with a glare. "I am an adult, slaggit! I've been one since before you were ever spawned."

Skye smirked. "I find that claim disputable, considering we walked in on you wrestling with Bumblebee over a video game."

"Pfft, please. I'm a mech. Mechs wrestle. That doesn't mean I'm a sparkling."

Skye stood. "Skybreak, you will never convince me otherwise. You are most certainly not an adult. A capable non-adult to be sure, but a non-adult nonetheless."

Skybreak's glare deepened. "If I may interrupt, Skybreak would be considered an adult back on Cybertron. Granted, a young one. So he is an adult-" Darkstorm said.

"Ha!" he smirked.

"-In frame," Darkstorm finished.

"What?" He turned to his sister. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that while you may be an adult in frame," Darkstorm placed a servo over her spark and giggled. "You may not exactly be one in here. And I mean that, lovingly."

"It means I win." Skye put her hands on her hips. "Ha!"

Skybreak threw his arms up in the air frustratedly and began muttering in Cybertronian. The children quirked an eyebrow at the metallic-sounding tongue while Ratchet glared at Skybreak over from the med bay and Optimus vented wearily. "Skybreak, I would prefer that you did not use such language in front of the children," he said.

"Yes, I fragging can because, contrary to popular belief, I am an adult," Skybreak crossed his arms.

Darkstorm placed a servo over her facial plating and shook her helm. "I would prefer the same thing, Brother. That's the last thing the children need, to learn how to use such vulgar language in Cybertronian."

Skybreak rolled his optics. "Like they could learn."

"They're more capable than you think. Why, I'm teaching Skye Seeker Cant and she seems to be learning it quite nicely."

"Seeker Cant," Ratchet mused. "I was not aware that it was still spoken."

"Oh, but it is," Darkstorm replied in the Seeker's native language. It sounded similar to Cybertronian but more. . . musical. She smiled and switched to English. "I learned from Dre'wan-" Her smile faltered slightly and she corrected herself. "Dreadwing." Bumblebee placed a comforting servo on her shoulder plating and she gazed up at him gratefully. "Skye was curious about Cybertron and we eventually came to the subject of Seekers and Vos. I offered to teach her the language of the Seeker and she readily agreed."

Miko stared at Skye, in awe. "You can actually speak that?! Wicked!"

Skye laughed. "Only a very small amount. It's not like I'm fluent or anything. There are times I'm not so proficient with my first language, let alone that of another planet."

"But it's still so cool!" Miko grinned and turned to her guardian. "Bulk, you should totally teach me Cybertronian sometime."

"It's pretty complicated to learn, even for us bots, but if you really want to, I won't stop you," Bulkhead chuckled.

"It is your turn for scouting today, Bulk." Arcee shrugged. "Maybe Miko can tag along and you can give her some tips."

"If Miko gets to go, mind if I tag along too?" Skye walked up to the rail. "Last time I got to go scouting . . . things kinda went pear-shaped."

"Uh. . . what-shaped?" Bulkhead asked, confused.

"I believe she meant that things did not go too well." Darkstorm's optics filled with worry momentarily but she quickly tried to hide it. Ski'ri is an adult, she reminded herself. I cannot treat her like a sparkling but. . . still, I do worry. "You have my blessing, Skye, but make sure you comm me if there is any trouble."

"Don't worry, 'Storm. With Bulk with us, it's the 'Cons you'll have to be worried about," Miko smirked.

Skye smiled at her guardian. "I'm in good hands. But I promise I'll let you know if something happens."

"Thank you," Darkstorm smiled.

Bulkhead chuckled. "It'll be just fine, 'Storm. Like Miko said, it's the 'Cons you should be worried about." He transformed and opened two of his doors. Miko immediately called shotgun and hopped in the vehicle, turning up a Slash Monkey CD as loud as it would go. Skye jumped into the driver's seat.

"Oops, sorry Bulkhead." Skye shrugged when she realized her mistake. "Force of habit."

"It's fine, Skye," he reassured. "It's not like I'm actually sitting there. So, you two ready to roll?"

"Pit yeah!" Miko flashed the "rock on" sign.

"Miko!"

"What? I hear you saying it sometimes too!" the others could barely hear Miko exclaim over the metal music as Bulkhead drove through the open ground bridge. Darkstorm turned to her brother with a glare once it closed behind them.

"What? I hear you saying it sometimes too," Skybreak mimicked Miko.

* * *

Bulkhead, Miko, and Skye walked across the desert-like terrain as they scouted out the area. In one of Bulkhead's servos lay a mobile energon detector that Ratchet had constructed. So far, nothing had been detected. To pass the time, Bulkhead was keeping his promise to Miko and teaching her a few basic Cybertronian words.

"Krij. . . Kreaj. . ." Miko stumbled over her words before sighing frustratedly. "Ugh. Why does it have to be so hard?"

"I told you it was hard to learn," Bulkhead chuckled. "Here, just sound it out. Krea-jiq-na. Like that."

"Kr-Kreajn. . . Kreajish. . . Kreajiqna?"

"There you go," he smiled. "See? That wasn't so hard."

"And what did that mean again?"

"I couldn't give you a direct translation but. . . it used to be a Wrecker battle cry."

"Wicked!" Miko gasped.

"The Wreckers?" Skye asked curiously.

"A team of warriors during the early days of the war on Cybertron. We took assignments that no one else would. . . I left just before Ultra Magnus took command and joined up with Optimus," Bulkhead explained before pausing. His energon sensor was detecting a strong deposit nearby. "Looks like there's some energon nearby. Stay behind me in case the 'Cons found it before we did."

The two children nodded as the green Wrecker moved forward. A meter or so ahead, they found the energon mine though there were no Vehicons or miners to be found. "Looks like the coast is clear," Bulkhead said. He carefully began to climb down into the hole where the energon was located with the children following close behind. Eventually, the three of them touched down on solid ground.

Skye sighed and wiped off the beads of sweat that were forming on her forehead. Oh, how she wished she had brought her climbing equipment. . . she thought before gazing around the small cavern. The already packed energon was their only light as Bulkhead began to grab as many cubes as he could. Miko and Skye moved to help before a loud rumble was heard overhead. They gazed up as a large ship slowly moved overhead.

"Scrap," Bulkhead muttered.

The ship came to a stop and a hiss was heard as a long yellow tube was lowered down, most likely for the transportation of the energon cubes. Bulkhead's tanks sank as he realized that they could not escape. The transportation tube was blocking their only way out. The only thing they could do now was hide among the energon cubes and try to find an escape route or a way to contact the others without alerting the Decepticons of their presence.

Taking Miko and Skye to the Nemesis. . . 'Storm and Optimus'll have his helm for sure.

"Alright, I know we may not have that many options here but we need to make sure that the 'Cons don't know we're here. Hide and be as quiet as possible until I give the go, no-go, okay?" Bulkhead asked the two femmes.

"We're going to the 'Con's warship?! Sweet!" she exclaimed though Skye couldn't have felt more different.

Skye moaned. "Darkstorm will kill me. Like dead. Like I'm never leaving the base alive again."

"Just imagine at what she'll do to me," Bulkhead mumbled before trying to bury himself under a pile of energon cubes. Miko and Skye followed suite, trying to make themselves as small as possible. Soon, the transportation tube collected the energon cubes and Bulkhead, Skye, and Miko with it. Whirring was heard as they slowly ascended and eventually came to rest in a dark storage room. Much to their relief, there were no Decepticons present.

"Now comes the hard part," Bulkhead stood up. "Getting out of here."

"Any ideas, Bulk?" Miko asked.

"I guess I could always comm for a 'bridge," the Wrecker answered as he tried his comm link. Nothing but static. His tanks dropped. Not only was he concerned for the humans' safety. . . he was concerned for his own if he ever made it off the ship. "Comm link is down. . . and seeing as I can't just fly us out of here, I guess we'd better try to find a communication hub. But we have to move quickly," he replied as he activated his weapon systems.

He walked over to the exit and stuck out his helm cautiously. Satisfied that there no enemies roaming the halls, he motioned for Miko and Skye to follow. The children complied and entered the dimly lit hallway. They walked down it for a few moments before they heard footfall behind them. Bulkhead quickly rounded a corner and the children did the same. Skye's heart pounded as she watched the Vehicons walk by, inches from their hiding place.

When they were far enough away, the three of them let out a collective sigh of relief. Bulkhead motioned for them to follow him and was about to move forward before a gray Seeker bumped into the Wrecker.

Skye's eyes widened. Starscream. She would have laughed at his high-heeled peddes if it were not for the fact that she was completely and utterly terrified.

"Why is it that everytime I return to my old stomping grounds, I find an Autobot roaming the halls?" Starscream asked irritatedly before his crimson gaze met that of the children's. "And it seems you've brought vermin with you?"

Bulkhead glared and stepped in front of them protectively. "Don't tell me. You came crawling back to Megatron?"

"Hardly! Now get out of my way!" Starscream ordered.

"Look, you've got to show me where there's a communication hub here-"

"Sorry, too busy."

"When you needed help-" Bulkhead began incredulously before he was interrupted again.

"As I recall, we bartered. So unless you have anything of value to offer me then stand aside."

"The exit. Now," Bulkhead growled.

"I may have given Arcee a free pass when she and I last met," Starscream glared as he flexed his claws. Skye pushed Miko back as Bulkhead stumbled, three deep claw marks marring his chassis. "But I will not hesitate to skewer you just like I did a certain Cliffjumper."

Miko growled. "You'll pay for that!"

Skye placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, having to put surprising force into holding her back. "Miko, no. That won't help anyone. He's not worth the effort, anyhow."

"Don't worry, Miko. He'll get what's coming to him," Bulkhead set his jaw and summoned his wrecking ball. Starscream's optics widened and he attempted to flee but it was too late. Before the Seeker knew what was going on, the Wrecker was on top of him.

"This is for Cliffjumper!" He landed another blow. "For Bumblebee!" Yet another. "For everything." And, with one final blow, the Seeker's movements ceased and his optics offlined.

Skye looked at the Seeker with wide eyes. "Is he . . . ?"

"Don't know," Bulkhead winced as he placed a servo on his chassis. "Don't care. Let's just focus on getting off this boat."

"Are you alright, Bulk?" Miko asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," he smiled reassuringly. "Been through a lot worse, believe me."

The rest of the walk was spent in silence as they continued to search for the communications hub. Luckily, they managed to find it sooner rather than later.

"Thank God," Skye sighed.

Bulkhead walked over to the console and his brow furrowed as he realized that he couldn't decipher any of it. "Er. . . I think this activates a comm link," he said as he pushed one of the buttons. All of them collectively jumped as an alarm began to sound and heavy footfall could be heard approaching.

"Scrap," Bulkhead moaned as he gently picked up Skye and Miko and ran the other direction. The children held on tightly as the green Wrecker made several turns until he found a small service duct. He forcefully opened it and ushered the children inside before he himself crawled into the small space. The panel to the duct was returned just as some Vehicon troops entered the hallway.

A few tense moments passed by as the Vehicons surveyed the area. Eventually, seeing that there were no signs of intruders, they left.

"So. . . what now?" Skye asked shakily.

"We go down these ducts until we can find the ship's control room. . . and hope that Megatron isn't there," Bulkhead answered grimly as he began to quietly move forward.

Skye gulped. "And if he is?" Bulkhead's silence only confirmed her worst fears. Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons. The one who nearly killed Darkstorm and who sadistically tore out Bumblebee's voice box. . . There would be no escape if they were caught by him.

"Yeah, Bulk. You can take him easily," Miko encouraged.

Bulkhead was silent before he eventually answered softly, "Even I can't protect you if Megatron knows we're here." His facial plating hardened. "But, I can try."

"He won't be there." Skye smiled, even as she still worried. But voicing her concerns wouldn't help anyone-Miko and Bulkhead both knew the stakes, even better than she.

With that dark thought looming on the horizon, the trio continued to stealthily move down the small metal duct. Eventually, a vent appeared ahead of them. The children were the first to look. A large control room lay below them complete with ground bridge and ship controls. However, the bad news was that Megatron was there. Skye had never seen the leader of the Decepticons before but she just knew. . . Her eyes widened. The silver mech from her dream. . .

"What's going on up there?" Bulkhead whispered.

"Dude, it's Megatron," Miko answered before she noticed something else. Four. . . Starscreams? stood in front of him with weapons drawn.

Ion blasts could be heard as a battle ensued and most of the clones were destroyed. "You should have taken my previous offer, Starscream," he smirked. "At least then, you would have escaped with your life." Skye shivered. The voice. . . It was just like in her nightmare.

The remaining Starscream fled as a loud bang could be heard overhead. The leader of the Decepticons growled and went to see the cause of the disturbance. Once the door closed behind him, Bulkhead gently maneuvered the children behind him. With his wrecking ball, he made a big enough hole for himself to get through before he lifted up a servo. First, Miko and then Skye were set down safely.

"So what do we do with these control thingies?" Miko asked.

"Easy. We can't ground bridge to base or else they'll track us. We also can't comm for a ground bridge so," Bulkhead set the controls to what he suspected to be down before smashing it with his wrecking ball. "We bring down the ship and rendezvous with the 'Bots once we hit solid ground."

The children fought to keep their balance as the ship plummeted downwards. Bulkhead gently placed them on his shoulder plating for fear that they would get hurt and began racing towards the exterior of the ship. He eventually found an exit and came to rest on one of the warship's hangars.

"Hold on," he warned as the ship continued its descent. Miko and Skye braced themselves as the ship collided with the earth. Holding them close to his chassis, Bulkhead jumped off the hangar's edge and transformed with the children safe inside his alt mode. With that finished, he raced away from the wreckage as fast as he could and commed the Autobot base.

"Bulkhead to base, requesting immediate ground bridge."

"On its way, Bulkhead," Ratchet replied. A few moments later, a green vortex appeared in front of them. Bulkhead drove through it and vented slightly in relief as they came to rest inside the safety of the base.

He opened two of his doors and Miko and Skye immediately exited the vehicle. Bulkhead transformed and faced his team.

"Guys, you won't believe the day we've had," he said before something caught his optic. Airachnid was in the base, trapped inside a stasis pod. ". . . You too, huh?"

"Airachnid basically tried to raise an army of Insecticons in order to offline Megatron. What happened to you?" Arcee asked, arms crossed.

"Was your energon scouting mission that exciting?" Darkstorm asked. "I tried to contact you so you could be informed of the situation but I received no answer. . . Did something happen?"

Skye laughed nervously and scratched her head. "I uh . . . guess you could say that."

"Skye Shelsher," Darkstorm began sternly. "I will ask you one more time. Did something happen?"

Skye straightened as a shiver ran down her spine. I'm dead. I'm so dead. "Umm . . . we ended up being transported to the Nemesis . . . but we disabled the ship!" Skye hoped her tone would make her guardian feel a little better, even as she knew it was in vain.

Darkstorm's optics widened drastically as her wings lowered. "Uh-oh. . ." Bulkhead muttered. "Er. . . 'Bee! Help me out here?"

_"Sorry. I think I'll stay out of this one,"_ Bumblebee chuckled. Skybreak smirked as Darkstorm seemed to recover, her surprise turning to fury.

"How did a routine energon scouting mission turn into a black-ops escapade into Megatron's warship?" Darkstorm hissed.

"The. . . uh. . . the Nemesis was kinda blocking our exit. What choice did we have?" Bulkhead stumbled backwards as Darkstorm glared at him.

"What choice did you have?! You should have never taken Skye and Miko into the mine in the first place! Do you know what could have happened if you were discovered? You could have been offlined as well as them. . . or even worse Knock Out could have subjected them to experimentation!"

"But, 'Storm, none of that happened. We're fine, alright? I wouldn't have let anything happen to the kids," Bulkhead reassured.

Darkstorm looked like she was about to retort something angrily but held herself back. "I know," she heavily vented. "But this is the second time a seemingly harmless scouting mission has turned. . . pear-shaped. Skye, this is the Nemesis we're talking about. It's bad enough that I was stuck there but you. . ." She trailed off.

Skye felt her heart drop into her gut out of guilt. She took a few shaky breaths before looking up at her guardian. "I . . . I know, Darkstorm. I didn't mean to scare you by any means, and I understand where you're coming from completely. But . . ." She paused to look around the room, eyeing every 'Bot before looking back at the Seeker. "You guys are the best thing that's ever happened to me. You give me a reason to live, each one of you. And even when I'm in the field, even when I'm in danger, even when . . . when Fowler and I were pinned down by MECH, I'm far happier than I ever was. And I'm sure the others feel the same way." She looked over at the other humans.

Jack put his hands up. "Woah woah, don't drag us into this."

Skye looked back at Darkstorm. "I guess my point is that . . . it will be devastating if anything happens to anyone here, and while I may be too small to take on Starscream or Megatron, I guess . . . I just feel better being there. LIke if something happens I may be able to help. It's more than just 'you fight for my planet I fight for yours.' I have a personal stake in your well-being, and if I'm there at least I can try to help in case something happens."

Darkstorm shakily vented and dropped down to her knees so that she was closer to her charge. "I. . . We are touched, Ski'ri, but if you say that you have a personal stake in our well-being then we do in yours. I am your guardian. It is my duty to protect you. . ." She bit her bottom lip component. "If something happened to you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

"I agree with Darkstorm in this matter," Optimus said. "While your willingness to aid us is admirable, it is our sworn duty to protect you. In the future, you will not be allowed on scouting or any other missions unless it is approved by me, understood?"

Skye lowered her head but nodded. "Yes, sir."

"We are doing this for your own good, Ski'ri," Darkstorm said softly.

"And the same goes for you, Miko. There will be no following us unless otherwise directed," Optimus added.

And, at that point, even Miko knew it was best not to argue. "Yes, Optimus," she sighed.

"Good. Now, Bulkhead I suggest you escort Miko home. I believe it is about time we all get some rest after today's events."

Bulkhead nodded and was about to transform before Darkstorm interrupted him. "Bulkhead. . . I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. You did the best you could in that situation and for that. . . I am grateful."

"No problem, 'Storm. You were worried about her. I understand," Bulkhead smiled. "No hard feelings, alright?"

Darkstorm smiled and nodded as Bulkhead transformed and drove out of the base, Miko inside his alt mode. "Now, Ski'ri. . . I suggest we get some recharge."

"I'd like to go on the roof for a little while if it's alright."

"Of. . . Of course. Just stay safe, alright?" Darkstorm half smiled.

Skye nodded before walking to the elevator, her feet dragging slightly. Darkstorm, meanwhile, looked on with sadness in her optics. Noticing this, Bumblebee draped an arm around her shoulder plating.

_"She'll be just fine, 'Storm. She just needs some time to think."_

"Perhaps. . . but did you see her?" Darkstorm vented. "She just looks so. . . disappointed. How can I make her see that Optimus and I are only doing this for her own safety?"

"Let me talk to her," Skybreak said.

Darkstorm and Bumblebee whipped around to face the mech Seeker. "You wish to talk with her?"

He shrugged. "Hey, she's knocked some sense into me on several occasions. The least I could do is return the favor."

Darkstorm's brow furrowed but she nodded. "Very well. . ." She vented. "Something tells me she would not wish to see me anyway." She half smiled sadly as Bumblebee grasped her servo in his own.

"Just relax, Sister. I can handle it," Skybreak smiled before he ascended to the roof of the base. He found Skye curled up, staring out at the desert.

"Hey, kid. What's on your mind?" he greeted softly.

Skye didn't turn to look at him as she spoke. "Nothing . . . a lot . . . I don't even know. At this point I can't really think, just . . . feel." She wiped her hand across her face to wipe away the tears. "You guys are the closest thing to family I've ever known and I keep pulling stupid stunts that warrant being reprimanded. Then I get upset?" She shook her head.

Skybreak's spark softened as he saw that she was crying. "Hey, don't talk like that. Those so-called stupid stunts have really helped us. Pit, you even helped 'Storm get the scout's T-Cog back. That should account for something. . . Besides, what happened today was not your fault. You guys got into a bit of a sticky situation and you got out. Period."

"I begged Darkstorm to let me go, told her everything would be okay." She laughed blandly. "My adrenaline craving has probably taken a few centuries off her life. It's not fair to her."

Skybreak chuckled softly. "Listen, kid, my sister's always been a worrier. Nothing can help that. But, at her core, she does appreciate that you want to help. . . and she does try to not smother you." His tone suddenly turned serious. "I think the only reason she was so upset is because she remembered her experience on the Nemesis. . . and it scared her to death, to think that you were nano-klicks away from sharing her fate. But you need to stop blaming yourself. She knew that you were aware of the possible consequences and she let you go anyway. Because she cares for you. . . she loves you. She wants to give you freedom of choice in this. . . . I guess the war just gets a bit grating on one's psyche sometimes, you know?"

She half-smiled. "I guess it would." After a moment her smile dropped again. "I love being here with you guys, and I love the fact that for once, someone is worrying about me for a practical reason. Just . . . how do I find the balance between helping you guys, going out in the field, but not giving Darkstorm a heart attack?" She ran her hand through her hair. "She's like a sister to me . . . I hate to freak her out like I did today."

"I know it's hard but we're in the middle of a war. Dangerous situations are common. Darkstorm should know that and Optimus should know that." Skybreak smiled. "Tell you what, how about I go talk to ol' boss bot and convince him to drop down your sentence to, let's say, a week or so? That should be enough time for my sister to quit frying her circuits."

The girl sighed. "I see where he's coming from, but go for it if you like. I just don't want to be a liability who sits around the base all day."

"Liability? Kid, you're one of the greatest assets to this team. Don't you dare think otherwise. The Autobots, as flawed as they are, are lucky to have you."

Skye looked up at the Seeker. "That means a lot coming from you. Thanks." She smiled, one of mostly appreciation with a twinge of sadness. "It'll probably take more than a short conversation to make me stop feeling sorry for myself, but I appreciate it nonetheless."

"Slag," Skybreak grinned. "Well, I guess then I'll have to try harder." The Seeker mused to himself before his optics lit up. He had an idea. A wonderfully awful idea. "I've got it. What you need is a break from all this." He transformed into his alt mode and opened up his cockpit. "Come on. It'll be fun and we'll be back before you know it."

Skye stood. "You're sure your sister won't eat us?"

Skybreak laughed. "Nah. She's probably too preoccupied with the scout to notice. And I'm her brother. She trusts me."

She sighed. "Well, if you're sure," she spoke as she climbed into the cockpit. Once Skye was safely inside, Skybreak sealed the door and took off.

"I'm sure. Besides, she'd probably appreciate the fact that you're relaxing instead of wallowing in self-pity," Skybreak said as they continued to ascend.

"Excuse me! I've seen you throw a fit and go sulk in your room with the best of them," Skye said jokingly. "You so cannot comment on my 'wallowing'."

"Pfft, that doesn't sound like me at all," Skybreak replied, just as jokingly.

"Neither does wrestling. Though you do seem like someone who appreciates good metal bands."

"What can I say? Some humans have good taste," Skybreak internally shrugged. "And it reminded me of some street musicians back on Cybertron."

"Ohh, I have some bands to show you that'll knock your socks off." She paused. "Human metal sounds like Cybertronian street music?"

"Eh. . . kinda. Mainly just your electric guitars."

"Is that so? Sounds rather interesting." Skye smiled and looked out at the night sky. She watched it fly by in silence for a few moments before a song seemed to start playing in her mind. "This life could almost kill ya, when you're trying to survive . . . it's good to be here with ya, and it's good to be alive . . ."

"Skillet, huh?"

Skye looked surprised at Skybreak's console. "You know Skillet too, huh?" She looked out the cockpit again. "You have good tastes."

"Of course. I know most of Earth's rock bands by now," Skybreak smiled before slowly pulling to a stop, though his thrusters were still running to prevent them from free-falling. "You ready, kid?"

Skye felt an excited shiver run down her spine. "Ready for what?"

"Let's just say I wanted to treat you to a stunt that Darkstorm and I would always pull when we were younglings," Skybreak replied fondly. "Though we originally got it from Skyquake. . ." He chuckled. "Dreads never did approve but, eh. What can you do? You only live once."

"Some longer than others." Skye laughed. "Let's do it."

Skybreak grinned and suddenly transformed mid-air. Clutching Skye in his servo so she would be safe, they both began to free fall. Skye grinned wildly as cool night air rushed past them.

Skybreak began to count in his mind. One nano-klick, two nano-klick, three nano-klick. . . And, there!

Before they could hit the ground, Skybreak transformed again and quickly ascended back to their original position.

Once Skye got her breath back, she laughed with her arms outstretched. "That was awesome! Better than any roller coaster out there!"

"I knew you'd enjoy it," Skybreak chuckled. "So, you feeling cheered up yet?"

She smiled. "Maybe a little." A sigh followed. "Thank you, Skybreak. For the ride and the talk. I know I can talk to Darkstorm about anything but . . . I was afraid of saying something that I didn't mean. It's bad enough today gave her a few gray hairs, as humans would put it."

"It's no one's fault that she's worried. . . but I can understand that. And anytime, Skye. . . You know, I think I get why Darkstorm is so fond of you. You have to the best human I've ever met on this rock."

"That means a lot, Skybreak. I think I get why she loves you so much, regardless of relations. You're a pretty decent guy. And definitely someone to have watching my back."

"Believe me when I say I probably don't deserve that title," Skybreak said wryly. "But thanks, kid. It means a lot coming from you."

"Don't mention it. Though, if you'd like, I can modify my opinion to simply promising never to throw you under a bus if it'll make you feel better."

"Throw me under a bus. . ." Skybreak laughed. "Never heard that one before but, sure thing."

Skye took a deep breath and leaned back in the seat. "I guess we'd better get back before they think we ran off, eh?"

"Probably," Skybreak grinned. "Then I think you'll be forced to 'throw me under the bus.'"

The girl laughed. "And we can't have that, can we? Flat Seekers aren't great for taking on joyrides."

Skybreak also laughed as he began to pilot back to the Autobot base. "Couldn't agree more." Eventually, the two returned to the base. It was abnormally quiet as everyone had already fallen into recharge or holed themselves up in their quarters. "Well. . . so much for throwing me under the bus, huh Skye?" he teased.

She giggled. "Seems someone's found a new favorite phrase. But yes, it would seem you've evaded the bus this time." Her tone turned slightly more serious. "Thanks again. I guess a good flight is great for clearing one's head. Now." She turned and started walking towards her and Darkstorm's quarters. "I should probably make sure Dar'sain knows I'm not upset with her."

"Good luck," Skybreak grinned and waved as he walked into his own quarters.

"Way to make it sound like I need it!" She shouted with a smile before he disappeared from her field of vision. She resumed her course for her quarters. Okay Skye, how about you don't get all weepy this time?

Once she reached the door, she took a deep breath before stepping inside. It occurred to her as she entered that Darkstorm may have been with Bumblebee in his quarters, as Skybreak suggested, but she decided to check here first anyway.

It looked like what Skybreak had suggested was correct. No one could be found in Darkstorm's quarters. Trying to remember where Bumblebee's quarters were located, she went to the door right next to Darkstorm's. She took a deep breath and knocked. A few moments passed by and still, Skye got no answer.

Great. How am I supposed to find it? she thought as she moved onto another door. This time it was the one across from Darkstorm's. Luckily, she got it right that time. She heard Bumblebee's familiar beeps and Darkstorm's soft voice from inside. They both quieted as they heard Skye knock. Light footfall could be heard until the door was opened by Darkstorm.

"Hello, Skye," she smiled softly. "I take it the talk went well?"

Skye felt a lump in her throat. After she'd acted like a child, Darkstorm sounded like nothing happened. She couldn't talk, but Skye nodded timidly. Don't cry, Skye, don't cry . . .

Darkstorm frowned and, sensing her charge's distress, she knelt down. "Is something wrong, my dear Ski'ri?"

Skye ran to Darkstorm's pedde, clinging to it as the tears fell. "I'm sorry, Dar'sain. I should've thought about you before leaving."

"Oh, Ski'ri. . ." Darkstorm smiled softly as she embraced her with a servo. "There is no need to apologize. What happened. . . was no one's fault. You would not have gone if you knew that you and the others would be traveling to the Nemesis. You did think about me. You wish to protect me and my team and for that. . . I am grateful."

Darkstorm paused as Bumblebee knelt down beside her and began speaking. She translated for Skye: "Bee also says that you should not blame yourself. Accidents do happen. . . and there is nothing we can do to change that."

Skye smiled and wiped at her eyes. "I promise I'm not trying to shorten your lives any with my excursions."

"We know you're not," Darkstorm smiled. "You only wish to help and we appreciate that but. . . we must also be careful. While it is true that you are doing this of your own free will, we would prefer not to lose another friend because of this war. We. . ." She vented. "I am sorry for making you feel so guilty and confined."

Skye shook her head as she continued wiping at the tears. "Honestly I'm just glad to have someone worry about me for a sensible reason. And as my guardian you're just doing your job."

"I suppose. . . just remember, Skye, this is not your fault. And. . . if you wish, I can talk to Optimus. I understand your need to help. . . We were just concerned with your well-being, that is all," Darkstorm said softly.

Skye smiled. "Skybreak offered the same thing. But I understand why I'm confined to base."

"If you are sure, Ski'ri," Darkstorm smiled. "I. . . We simply want what's best for you."

"I know, Dar'sain." Her charge nodded.

Darkstorm smiled slightly wider and stood up. Bumblebee soon followed suite. "Now, I believe it best that we both got some rest." She turned to the scout. "Goodnight, 'Bee."

_"Goodnight, 'Storm,"_ he smiled.

Darkstorm grinned at Bumblebee before she turned to leave the room, Skye following close behind. The two femmes soon reached Darkstorm's quarters.

"So, what exactly did my brother do to cheer you so, Ski'ri?" Darkstorm asked curiously as she positioned herself on her berth.

Skye threw the sheets back on her bed. "We went out for a flight. Then he showed me this stunt he said you two learned as kids."

Darkstorm tensed slightly. "Stunt. . . Don't tell me. He-?" She brought a servo up to her facial plating. "Of course he did." She chuckled and shook her helm. "Well, at least he kept you safe."

Skye giggled as she hopped into the bed. "Of course. Just a little harmless fun."

"Of course he failed to mention the incident where he didn't pull in up in time and I had to patch him back together," Darkstorm muttered and shook her helm, amused.

Her charge laughed. "I wish I'd been there to see that. Though, having just experienced it, I can imagine it wasn't too fun for him."

"Not in the slightest. Megatron was furious. . . and if Dreadwing or Skyquake would have been there, they would have given him a sound talking to," she giggled. "Well, perhaps only Dreadwing. Skyquake and my brother were so alike. . . I am sure he would have approved."

"Yeah, he mentioned something about Dreadwing not approving. But sometimes I think we all need friends like that. Someone to do something stupid with, someone to tell you 'I told you so' when it goes sideways."

"Indeed," Darkstorm laughed before smiling. "Goodnight, Ski'ri."

"Goodnight, Dar'sain."

**A/N: *wipes imaginary sweat off of forehead* Thank the Lord! I finally finished this. I thought we never would considering how I've been caught up with life, especially that nasty cold I caught earlier this week (my voice still isn't the same). But, we hope you enjoy! And a big thank you to all our reviewers, followers, and favoriters! May the Lord bless you!**

**And to one of our reviewers, I won't mention his name, but I would like to address your suggestion about the rated M chapter. Intimate relations between a man or woman (or a mech and femme in this case) are sacred and should not be thrown out for other people to imagine or read about. God made it to be that way but this society is drastically distorting that original concept. I thank you for all your other suggestions and we shall consider them but there will never be a rated M chapter in this story. Also, I don't want you to feel like I'm targeting you or anything, I just wanted to address this so my other readers are aware of it, as well. Once more, thank you for your suggestions. I love you and may God bless you!**

**To Savvy Orion: Lol, you can be invited to their wedding, if you really want to go. xD ****I am glad that you are so excited about our new femmes coming in and there will definitely be tons of Optimus Prime/Elita One moments. Just you wait ;)**

**"The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry. The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles." Psalm 34: 15, 17**

**I am always watching you. I pay attention to your cry for help. When you call to Me in times of trouble, I will bring you through your trial victoriously~ God (Taken from my devotions book: P.S. God Loves You! by Connie Witter)**

**A/N: ****Moyashi here~ so. Life. This horrible mistress that nips you in the butt like a piranha and tears you away from fun stuff. But, hey, we're back with a new chappie for ya :D and next we get to start the relic hunting arc~ thanks again so much for the support guys. I know we say that all the time, but it really makes my day everytime I get on and see we've received another review. Hugs to all and God bless!**

**Theme Song: Get Out Alive by Three Days Grace**


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers Prime or its canon characters. We do however own our OCs. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher and Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Drift, Shiv, and Jolt.**

"So, you're implying that we simply storm the Nemesis? The heavily fortified and nigh impenetrable Decepticon warship?" Ratchet asked Optimus incredulously.

"I concur with Ratchet. Although the Nemesis is grounded, what chance could we possibly have? Arcee, Bumblebee, and I were extremely lucky to have been, for the most part, undiscovered but that was different. Megatron was in stasis and the Decepticons were in disarray. Now that Megatron is online. . . it will be far more difficult to ensure any sort of victory," Darkstorm added.

"I am not blind to these dangers but I have come to realize that Megatron must be stopped. We now have a relic in our possession, the spark extractor, that might even the odds," Optimus said.

"But respectfully, Optimus, surely there must be another way," Drift spoke up hesitantly. He, Shiv, and Drift shared a look before he continued. "Perhaps, there are others. . . like us, who wish to change sides."

"I will be sure to grant that option to any Vehicon or miner willing to accept it," Optimus smiled softly before his tone turned serious once more. "But if we are engaged. . ."

"We understand," Drift bowed his helm, hiding the sorrow in his optics.

"Ratchet, do you have the Nemesis' coordinates?" Optimus turned to his chief medical officer.

"Yes. . . and it seems that there is a large spike in energy. I have also received a message from Agent Fowler. He is en route as we speak."

"Very well. Autobots, prepare to roll out," Optimus ordered.

"Try to stay out of trouble, Skye," Skybreak winked as the others moved towards the ground bridge.

"You're one to talk." Skye smirked.

"We will try to be back as soon as we can," Darkstorm smiled. "Stay safe." She turned towards the other humans. "All of you."

"No need to worry, 'Storm," Miko grinned.

"You and 'Bee come back in one piece, alright?" Raf smiled.

_"I'm sure we'll be just fine, Raf,"_ Bumblebee smiled. _"See you later for another race!"_

"You're on!"

Bumblebee and Darkstorm smiled before they too went through the ground bridge, which closed behind them.

* * *

"I think we have a situation," Agent Fowler said.

"And what situation would that be?" Ratchet asked before he studied the monitor. It was the Nemesis. The Decepticon warship was hovering somewhere over Maine and its cloaking shields were down, oddly enough.

"If Optimus took the ship, then why is it hovering over Maine?"

"That remains to be seen," Ratchet muttered as he tried to comm the team. "Optimus? Anyone? Can you hear me?" There was nothing but static, which made the children concerned for their guardians. "Optimus, are you receiving this message?" Still, nothing. Ratchet vented. "They are not answering their comm links and I can't find their energy signatures."

"Ratchet, you don't think they . . . all at once . . . without-" Skye brought a hand to her forehead as her legs gave out and she dropped to her knees.

Jack put a hand on her shoulder. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves." He turned his attention to the medic. "Ratchet, what would cause their energy signatures to be undetectable?"

"If they were offlined. . . or if they were in stasis. And let us hope that it is the latter rather than the former."

"Then what can we do? Speculating isn't helping anything."

Ratchet studied the screens for a few moments. "I'll re-open the previous ground bridge coordinates and inspect the situation." He activated the bridge and turned back to the humans. "Stay here, I'll be back in a moment." He disappeared into the vortex. Several long moments later he returned and went straight to the console.

"Are they-?" Skye put a hand on the rail in front of her.

"In stasis," the medic replied. "I'm preparing a diagnostic. It will require bringing one of them back, but hopefully I can reverse the effects without too much trouble. Otherwise . . ." Ratchet turned and looked over the area. "I don't know where we'll keep them."

"But that still doesn't answer the question of why the Nemesis is making its way towards Manhattan as we speak," Agent Fowler said.

"It's baffling. . . What could the Decepticons possibly need in Manhattan? There are no energon reserves there. . . so why the sudden change of course?"

"Well. . . we could always call the Nemesis and see what's going on," Raf suggested.

"I highly doubt Megatron would be willing to let us call him up and ask what scheme he's come up with this time." Ratchet's tone reflected his skepticism.

"But it's worth a try, right?" Miko asked.

Ratchet's gaze swept between the humans before he vented. "Very well." He attempted to comm the Decepticon warship with what he supposed to be an accurate frequency. "Autobot Outpost Omega-1 to Decepticon warship. Megatron, please respond." There was nothing but static. "Megatron?" Yet another silence. Ratchet assumed that he would receive no answer until a gruff voice rang clear through the comm link.

"Megatron is relieved of his command."

"Who is this?" Ratchet's brow furrowed.

"Who is this?" the voice mocked.

"Have you taken control of the Decepticon warship?"

"I am the vessel. Any Cybertronian who interferes with my mission will be neutralized." Several images appeared on the screen of frozen Vehicon and Insecticons.

"What is your mission?"

"To decode Iacon database and retrieve relics of Decepticon origin."

"For what purpose?" There no answer. A short silence passed before the comm link was terminated.

"It hung up? Rude!" Miko crossed her arms.

"Its job is to retrieve relics and neutralize anyone who gets in the way. I think 'rude' is the least of our problems." Skye paused. "Wait . . . it said 'any Cybertronian,' yes? Maybe it is unaware of our existence . . ."

"Upupup! I know what you're thinking but remember Optimus' orders. He strictly forbade you to leave this base without his consent," Ratchet protested.

"But Ratchet, we've gotta help them," Raf pleaded.

"Besides, you saw the pics of the 'Cons. They're in stasis too. Why can't we give Agent Fowler some backup?"

"Believe me, Ratchet, the last thing in the world I want to do is defy Optimus's orders. Or Darkstorm's, for that matter. But the only way you can release them from stasis lock for certain is to disable whatever caused it from the ship itself. I'm not thinking of doing this for my own curiosity, but I would rather be locked in a relic storage unit and they be freed than I cover my own hide and everyone stays frozen."

"Leave the kids to me, Ratchet," Agent Fowler said. "Plus, not only can we free the 'Bots, but we can also nab a copy of that Iacon database now that the 'Cons are in stasis."

Ratchet thought upon this before he relented. "I will allow it, but only because there is no other way." Ratchet locked onto the coordinates of the Nemesis and prepared a ground bridge. He handed a large jump drive-looking device to Raf. "You will need to plug this into a console to download the database."

"Thanks, Ratch! We owe ya one!" Miko grinned as she ran through the portal. The others closely followed and they all soon arrived at the main deck of the Nemesis.

It was just like the pictures had portrayed. Frozen Decepticons were scattered across the ship. The only sound that could be heard was the occasional beep of the ship's scanners. "Ratchet? Where would this console be?" Agent Fowler commed the medic.

"Down the hall to your left."

Agent Fowler and the kids moved forward until they saw the large metal console with Knock Out frozen in front of it. Skye, who had luckily brought her climbing gadgets, began the laborious trek up Knock Out's backside. She eventually reached the top and helped Raf up. Once he reached the top, he plugged the device Ratchet had given him into one of the computer's ports.

Seeing that the children needed no assistance, Agent Fowler moved towards what he believed to be the ship's controls. "We can't let this thing reach Manhattan," he declared as he attempted to alter the ship's course. Unfortunately, the Nemesis detected that Agent Fowler was tampering with its controls and an electric shock was sent through the government agent, knocking him out cold.

"Er. . . that was unexpected," Miko said.

Raf turned to Skye. "You don't think-?"

"No. If the ship had detected us, it would shocked us already. . . Though, just to be safe, let's stay away from the ship's controls."

"But we have to do something," Jack said. "If we don't stop it, it could level Manhattan. Ratchet, there has to be something we can do."

"There is one thing. . . The ship's power core," Ratchet said before musing. "I suspect Dark Energon in this case. No other substance could have caused a ship to go rogue. . . If you cut off the Dark Energon supply, then it should return to normal."

"Alright," Jack nodded. "Just guide me to it." He turned towards the others. "Get the copy of the database. I should be back soon." Jack then turned the corner and ran towards the center of the ship.

"Jack, wait!" Skye sighed with minor frustration then quickly climbed down Knock Out. It was pretty much the opposite of a good idea to go anywhere alone on this ship, disabled crew or no. She ran as fast as she could to catch up. She caught up quicker than she expected. "I'm not letting you go alone."

Jack smiled and nodded gratefully. "Okay. Thanks."

"Take another right and then a left," Ratchet ordered from their comm link. Jack and Skye immediately ran and followed through with his orders. "Now, you will come to a crossroads. Go straight ahead and then take the fourth passage to your right. It should lead you to the ship's core."

The children obeyed the directions until they came to rest at the ship's power core. Skye shivered slightly as she saw Megatron right in front of the console, servo poised to pull down the lever that would sever the ship's supply to the Dark Energon.

"Well, so far so good, right?" Jack asked as he moved towards the Decepticon leader.

He did not get very far before a loud screeching was heard. A large arm was moving towards the children, claws outstretched. Skye and Jack immediately ran the opposite direction. As the arm gained on them, Skye feebly tried her stunner but it had close to no effect. It only seemed to make it angrier.

"Scrap!" Skye looked from the claw to Jack. "I'll get to the lever." She diverted and ran back towards Megatron, readying her climbing gear as she got closer. She reached the titan and started climbing, staying on the side against the console so the claw would have a tough time getting to her.

Once she made it to the top she ran to the lever Megatron's clawed hand was clenched around and tried to push it, to no avail. Meanwhile, Jack was maneuvering himself across the room to avoid the arm's ion blasts. He made a beeline for Megatron's pedde, hoping it would shield him. The arm fired and the blast hit Megatron. The titan slowly leaned backwards and his servo was brought down, finally pulling down the lever.

"NO!" The Nemesis screamed but it was too late. The flow was already reversed. The arm was deactivated and slowly Megatron was coming online.

Skye looked down, looking for something she could climb down. Ideally she could use the console legs, but that would take too long and time was something they didn't have. She gulped then leapt, positioning herself so her right leg would take the brunt of the landing. Once it made contact with the ground it bent, forcing her into a roll. She groaned and quickly lifted her pant leg to examine the damage. She was relieved to see minimal damage, and nothing that would impede her ability to run.

"Run. Now!" Jack said as he supported the femme. The two exited the room and made their way back to the others. Agent Fowler was still unconscious and Miko was shielding Raf as Knock Out was coming online.

"Say ah!" the Decepticon medic smirked.

"Don't even think about it!" Skye ran up to the mad doctor and jammed her stunner against his pedde. The shock itself didn't do anything, but the barbs scratched the paint somewhat.

Knock Out yelped and jumped backwards before glaring at the femme. He activated his buzzsaw. "Big mistake, fleshie." Skye attempted to run away but soon found herself constricted in his servo. Her eyes widened frightenedly as the buzzsaw's blades came closer and closer. . .

She thought it was the end until she was suddenly released. Ratchet landed another punch as Knock Out stumbled backwards. "Move, before the ground bridge closes!"

Skye limped towards the ground bridge as Jack and Miko supported Agent Fowler. Raf and Ratchet soon followed with the drive as the ground bridge closed behind them.

At the base, all the Autobots were stretching out their limbs, having just awakened from stasis.

"Ugh, someone get the license plate of the truck that hit us?" Jolt muttered.

"Wh-What happened?" Darkstorm placed a servo to her forehelm. "We were about to engage the Nemesis and then. . . blank." She paused as she surveyed the group. "More importantly, what happened to all of you?"

Skye made her way up the platform before just sitting down near the edge. "Eh, nothing a wrench and a little elbow grease won't fix."

"The Nemesis it seems was fit with a stasis beam. All of you were only able to recover due to our human friends," Ratchet gestured to the humans.

Darkstorm smiled and shared a look with Optimus.

Skye rose to her left knee and grabbed the rail, leaning slightly over it. "I'm sorry, Optimus. I . . . went with the others to the Nemesis despite your orders. But please know I didn't do it out of spite, but necessity."

"There is no need to apologize, Skye," Optimus smiled. "In fact, Skybreak, Darkstorm, and I were discussing your sentence further and. . . it seems my decisions has been made for me. You as well as our other friends are valuable assets to this team and, while your safety is our top priority, we understand that we wish to aide us. And so, your sentence is lifted."

Skye bowed her head. "Th-thank you."

"See? I told you, master negotiator," Skybreak grinned.

Darkstorm rolled her optics and chuckled before whispering behind her servo, "I did most of the talking." She frowned slightly as she surveyed Skye's damaged leg and Agent Fowler. "Now, it seems I have some repairs to do. Ratchet, do you-?"

"Over there," he gestured to a human sized gurney.

"Thank you," Darkstorm replied as she gently placed Agent Fowler on it. She activated her holoform and immediately set to work.

"And that's not our only victory," Ratchet announced as he gestured to the drive that Raf was still holding. "We have received a copy of the Iacon database. We now have the information we need to retrieve the relics before they fall into Decepticon servos."

"Excellent work, Ratchet," Optimus placed a servo on the mech's shoulder plating. "And to you as well, Rafael."

"Thanks, Optimus," the child smiled brightly.

Darkstorm had already surveyed the mech's vital functions and saw that they were stable. There was no extensive damage to his nervous system and so, Darkstorm walked over to her charge.

"Mind if I take a look?" she smiled softly.

Skye shrugged. "Go for it."

Darkstorm turned her head to see if the other humans were watching and, satisfied that they were otherwise occupied, she gently lifted up the femme's pant leg. She winced at the extensive damage to the internal wiring and the knee joint. "What did you do, Ski'ri?"

Skye laughed nervously. "I, eh, kinda took the quick route down a console. After the ship was purged of the Dark Energon everyone started coming online, and we didn't have time to dilly-daddle."

"I understand. You did what you could," Darkstorm nodded solemnly and got out her tools. She made sure to block Skye's leg from the others view as she began to repair the prosthetic. Her brow furrowed as she attempted to replace the various damaged parts. Finally, she replaced the main joint and most of the wiring. It was not exactly perfect but, it would hold. She gently picked up the plating that covered the circuitry and began welding it to the rest of the prosthetic.

"Hey, kid. How are you-" Skybreak paused as he saw the prosthetic. "-Holding up?"

She smiled sadly at the Seeker. "Not too bad, all things considered."

He frowned slightly. "So, how long?"

"Two years." Skye shrugged. "But it's no big deal now."

"That's the spirit," Skybreak half smiled. "When life pushes you, you push back, right?" He turned to his sister and they shared a look.

"Don't look at me," Darkstorm shook her head. "She wanted me to keep this from everyone. . . She thought it best for she was afraid they might treat her differently."

"Oh, kid," Skybreak smiled at Skye. "You're still the same in my optics, artificial limb or no."

Skye smiled. "Thanks. I guess I . . . shouldn't expect the same reaction from humans as you." She paused and a tear started to form. "You . . . you guys are my family."

"I guess you're a part of mine, too," Skybreak grinned. "You're practically like a second sister to me."

"I agree," Darkstorm smiled as she wrapped an arm around her charge. "And we are honored to be a part of your family."

"Us too!"

Darkstorm looked around Skye to see the children and then whipped around to see the other Autobots staring. "Staring is rude," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Welding a human's leg closed merits it," Arcee remarked before turning to Skye. "The same goes for us. We won't treat you differently just because you have a robotic leg."

"I think it makes you look even hotter!" Jolt grinned. Shiv shot the Vehicon a look as Drift facepalmed. "What? What'd I say?"

"What Romeo here is tryin' to say is that we like ya, no matter what ya look like," Shiv chuckled.

"So there's no need to be afraid," Drift smiled. "We're a family, remember?"

Skye looked around at everyone, tears streaming down her face. "I-I don't deserve you. You're all a better family than I've ever known."

"Oh, but you do, Ski'ri," Darkstorm smiled and wiped her tears away. "More than you will ever know."

**A/N: *sniffs* Teh feels. . . Skye's secret is finally out, huh? But her family accepts her for who she is. Oh meh geez, I think I'm gonna cry.**

**Ahem, anyways xD We hope y'all liked this chappie. A big thank you goes out to all those who have reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. We love you guys! And may God bless each and every one of you.**

**Until next time, Dream'sRealm**

**To Savvy Orion: Lol, it's perfectly alright! I didn't know about Triage with Ratchet and Wheeljack until recently. We thank you for the compliment about our writing. Truly, an honor. We hope to succeed your expectations when it comes to the Optimus Prime/Elita One moments. And you cried? Gosh, I feel bad now... but we are glad that you loved the chappie. :D We look forward to your next review!**

**"I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." John 16: 23-24**

**Theme Song: Keep Holding On by Avril Lavigne**

**A/N: Yay feels and drama and action~ :D and lemme tell ya, I've been looking forward to Skye and her stunner taking a stab at Knock Out for . . . well, I think ever since she donned the stunner. This was great fun to write, and it's made only better when you guys review, so keep it up and we will continue giving cookies :D God bless!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

**Disclaimer: We do not own Transformers Prime or its canon characters. We do however own our OCs. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher and Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Drift, Shiv, and Jolt.**

"Since it is imperative that we obtain these relics before Megatron does, I suggest we split up into four teams. Team One will be Arcee, Bumblebee, and Shiv. Miko and Jack will also come along in case there is any civilian interaction."

"Sweet!" Miko grinned.

_"You're not coming, 'Storm?"_ Bumblebee asked the Seeker.

"Seekers are instinctively claustrophobic," Darkstorm smiled. "I'm afraid I'll only be a hindrance rather than a help."

_"What about you, buddy?"_ Bumblebee turned to his charge.

"Optimus wanted me to stay with Agent Fowler and man the ground bridge. . . Someone has to take care of him," Raf chuckled. The Team collectively looked over at the Agent, still muttering incoherently.

"Walnuts and grandma!"

Bumblebee fought to keep back his laughter._ "Good luck."_

"Team Two will be Ratchet, Jolt, and Wheeljack," Optimus continued.

"Wheeljack?!" Ratchet asked incredulously. "Optimus, you cannot be serious! Besides, he made it very clear that he wanted nothing to do with us the last time we met."

"It was the logical choice," Optimus said, mirth in his optics. "Your experience will greatly aid the mission. And when I requested his aide, he readily volunteered his services."

"Experience my aft," Ratchet grumbled under his breath.

"Team Three will be Bulkhead and Drift. And, finally, Darkstorm, Skybreak, Skye, and I will be Team Four."

"Yes, Optimus," Darkstorm smiled. "We are honored to accompany you."

Skye's face lit up. "Really? Awesome! Eh," she paused. "May I ask where we're going?"

"I believe the humans call it Antarctica," Optimus answered as the other teams prepared to move out.

"Guess it's a good thing I grabbed my winter jacket while I was home then. I'll be right back." She ran to her quarters to retrieve the coat.

When she returned, almost all of the Autobots had already moved to their specific locations. Darkstorm smiled and gestured for Skye to follow as Raf changed the ground bridge coordinates to that of the Antarctic.

"Make sure you keep it close, Ski'ri. I have read how humans can suffer from frostbite or hypothermia," Darkstorm said as they moved through the ground bridge.

"Oh, lighten up, Sister. I'm sure she'll be fine," Skybreak countered.

They eventually reached their location. They emerged from the ground bridge to be met with a landscape covered with snow and ice. The Seekers braced themselves as the frosty wind rushed past their sensitive wings.

"The coordinates say that the relic is located due east, about two kliks away from our current location," Optimus said as he transformed. "I suggest we all move quickly. We would not want to get. . . frostbite."

The two Seekers also transformed. Darkstorm opened the hatch leading to her cockpit and Skye quickly jumped inside, sighing contently as the air became warmer. Optimus began driving ahead and the Seekers followed from their positions in the wintry sky.

"Ugh, my wings are killing me. Why does it have to be so cold?" Skybreak complained to his sister over their comm link.

"Oh, hush. Just keep moving and it's not so bad," Darkstorm said. "Honestly. . . You're older than me, Bruda. You should be the one that is more mature."

"Mature? I can be mature! Right, Skye?"

"I don't think you know the meaning of the word, Skybreak."

Darkstorm laughed. "Way to throw me under the bus," he grumbled.

Skye smiled mischievously. "Oh, that's not throwing under a bus, that's just good old-fashioned teasing."

"I hate to see what will happen when you actually do it then," Skybreak muttered.

"Oh, come now," Darkstorm giggled. "We only do it because we love you."

Skybreak snorted. "I've heard that one before."

Their conversation was momentarily interrupted as Optimus commed them. "The relic is just ahead, but demonstrate caution. I see some enemy activity."

"Will do, Optimus," Darkstorm said as she swooped downwards. As she and Skybreak neared their destination, they saw Optimus standing in front of a small squadron of Vehicons and. . .

"Dre'wan," Darkstorm whispered. Dreadwing was currently engaging Optimus along with the other Vehicons. A few however remained with Starscream, who was currently in stasis cuffs.

Skybreak and Darkstorm transformed, the latter shielding her charge. "Dre'wan!" she called out. "Cad'a thugann hapa?" What brings you here?

As if struck, Dreadwing tensed and slowly lowered the servo wielding his sword. He gradually turned and his red optics gazed into Darkstorm's. Darkstorm could see the warring emotions in his spark behind them. He thickly swallowed and answered. "Tiarna Megatron leis an t'aise. Wala ch'un a chur o'rm." Lord Megatron requires the relic. Do not try to stop me.

"Dre'wan. . . le do thoil. Lig an k'wenda. . . kuacha h'ii wazimu na ais le l'inn. N'a lig a kwamba rushwa mheich'niocht a f'hois agam aoin yajua," Darkstorm softly pleaded. Dreadwing, please. . . Let the bitterness go. Stop this madness and come back with us. Do not let that tyrant corrupt the mech that I once knew.

"Listen to her, Dreadwing. Stop this madness. . . forsake the bitterness in your heart so you can truly heal. . . and turn to Me," the voice quietly commanded.

He wanted to. Oh, how he wanted to. But he could not bear it yet. . . He just couldn't. His loyalty to Megatron was strong and he felt in his spark that he could never forgive the beasts that offlined his twin brother. . . But Dar'sain. . . He grit his dentals. He loathed himself. He loathed that he had allowed her and Skri'brak to be hurt. Surely, something had to be done. . . He could not stand the torture it brought to his processor and spark. But. . . even with these thoughts, he still stubbornly held onto the bitterness that welled inside his spark.

"Is'e mo yangu na thab'hart duit guvu, Dar'sain." My loyalty to you is strong, Darkstorm. He unconsciously switched out of Seeker Cant so that Optimus and Skybreak could understand him. But. . . how could he forgive those who did not hesitate to offline one of the dearest things to his spark? "But I cannot stand by as those who killed my bruda go unpunished." He turned to Optimus, his facial plating stoic once more. "The relic. Where is it located?"

"I had thought this was its location," Optimus replied, shakily getting up. "Is it not here?"

"You dare to mock me?" Dreadwing asked coldly as he brought his sword up to Optimus' throat tubing. "I shall ask again. Where is the relic?"

Optimus stared up at Dreadwing defiantly. "I don't know."

"Then you are of no use to me," Dreadwing said as he drew his sword back. Darkstorm immediately ran towards Optimus.

"Darkstorm, no!" Skye yelled.

Just before the sword could slice through the Autobot leader, Darkstorm placed herself in front of him. Dreadwing's optics widened and he caught himself just in time, the blade stopping centimeters from Darkstorm's armor.

He did not know how to feel. More loathing at the fact that he could have harmed his little storm yet again or irritation that she was foolhardy enough to come between his blade and the leader of the Autobots.

"Dre'wan, we do not have the relic. Now, stand down. My loyalty to you is strong but I cannot allow you to hurt him," she said.

Seeing the all too familiar stubbornness in her optics and not wanting to harm her, Dreadwing silently conceded. He lowered his sword frustratedly.

That femme will be the death of me. . . he inwardly raged.

"Now, are you with us or against us?"

"I. . . I cannot betray my master," Dreadwing vented.

"Well, you know the saying. You can't fix stupid," Skybreak rolled his optics.

Dreadwing narrowed his optics. "Still as polite as ever, I see, Skri'brak. But my stance on this predicament still remains. I will have the relic."

"Then let me make an agreement with you. You are an honorable mech, Dre'wan, and I know you will listen to reason." Darkstorm reached out and placed a servo on his shoulder plating. "You will let us pass. We will go our separate way, you will go yours, and everyone can walk away unscathed. But, please. Stop this," she said softly.

"Not as loyal as you once claimed. Are you, Dreadwing?" Starscream spoke up and smirked. "I bet Megatron would be interested to know that his loyal servant is. . ." His crimson gaze swept over Darkstorm. "not as unshakable as he seems."

"You will keep your forked glossa behind your dentals," Dreadwing ordered coldly before turning to Darkstorm. His optics softened momentarily. "Very well. We shall go. . . but pray we do not meet again." With that, the Seeker turned around and ordered the Vehicons to prod Starscream forward. Skybreak pulled Optimus to his peddes as Darkstorm watched her beloved friend go.

"Darkstorm!" Skye ran over to her guardian. "A-Are you alright?"

Darkstorm, at first, gave no reply. She simply stared at the white flurry as if trying to see if Dreadwing would come back. Eventually, her optics offlined and she nodded. "Yes. . . I am fine." Her facial plating seemed to crumble for a moment before she regained her composure. "I suggest we move quickly. We need to beat them to the relic. Optimus, are you well?"

"Yes," the leader of the Autobots answered. Dreadwing was a fierce warrior and had left quite a few marks on the mech but he was soon able to stand on his own with Skybreak's aid.

"Do you have any idea where this relic might be located? The coordinates were supposed to be accurate."

Optimus thought on this for a few moments before answering. "There is a human scientific outpost nearby. Perhaps, it was discovered and taken there."

"Then there is where we shall go," Darkstorm vented and transformed, silently opening her cockpit once more. Skybreak, knowing not to bother her when she was in such a mood, quietly took to the skies. Optimus likewise transformed and sped towards the base.

"Darkstorm," Skye began quietly. "Remember what I told you. God gave you a compassionate spark for a reason. . . It isn't wise to cut yourself off from everyone."

"I know," Darkstorm's voice was but a barely audible whisper.

"Hey," Skye placed a hand on the console. "I hear that 'but' in your voice. Don't forget that you have your friends now who have your back, no matter what. Okay?"

"Okay. . . dearest Ski'ri," Darkstorm's voice uplifted slightly, though she still sounded rather melancholy.

Skye smiled in an effort to make her guardian feel better. "Okay, now let's go get a relic."

"I-Indeed. . ." Darkstorm inwardly vented.

I realize that Dre'wan is stubborn, God. He has been ever since I've known him. But, please. . . help him.

**"I will do what I can. Just continue to place your faith in Me and trust that he will return to you."**

Darkstorm nodded but she couldn't help but feel that it was getting harder and harder. It was tearing her spark asunder. . . seeing Dre'wan in such pain. It was like seeing her brother in Megatron's clutches all over again. But. . . God did save her life. She trusted Him enough to know that He knew what He was doing. Dreadwing would return to her. . . someday.

Soon, they reached the site of the scientific base. The three 'Bots transformed and Optimus commed the base. "Rafael? Is Agent Fowler online?"

"Er. . . No. He's still pretty out of it," the child answered. More incoherent mumbling could be heard in the background. "Why do you ask?"

"We require that an Antarctic base be evacuated of its personnel, lest they be caught in the crossfire."

"Sorry, Optimus. I don't know what I can do to help and since Agent Fowler is still-"

"Candy-canes. . .?" the government agent muttered.

"-recovering from that shock, I'm not sure what options we have."

"Understood, Rafael. I am sure we can find a solution. Thank you for your help."

"No problem, Optimus," Raf smiled. Optimus ended the comm link.

Skybreak turned to Skye. "So, any ideas, kid?"

Skye shook her head. "Nothing comes to mind at present . . . though . . . maybe I can enter the base and order an evacuation under Agent Fowler's authority."

"That could work," Darkstorm conceded before gazing at Optimus. "I believe we all can put those holoforms to work."

"Excellent idea," Optimus smiled and nodded. Darkstorm, Skybreak, and Optimus all activated their holoforms.

"Now, stay cool," Skybreak said as he adjusted his shades. "And let me do the talking."

Darkstorm raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I believe Skye, Optimus, and I will handle this. . . You are not as. . . well-versed on human culture."

Skybreak opened his mouth to protest. "And no, human rock music does not count." He closed it and grumbled.

Skye giggled. "Well, here goes nothing," she said as she entered the door to the small compound. It led them into a main room with several scientists inside. Another room could plainly be seen around the corner with a large block of ice holding a mysterious metal object inside.

The relic, Darkstorm's eyes widened slightly.

"Well, hello there. I'm Doctor Scott," a friendly-looking middle aged man said. "It's so good to see all of you. As you can probably tell, we don't get many visitors around here. . . Are you those. . . Pentagon agents that inquired about our recent discovery?"

"We are," Optimus nodded. "I am Agent Pax and these are my associates. But I am afraid time is short, far too short for pleasantries. We require this base be evacuated for you and your team's safety."

Doctor Scott's brow furrowed. "Our safety? What's going on?"

"I'm afraid we don't have the specifics, Doctor." Skye said in her most official tone. "We are still trying to sort the intel, but we do know this base is a target for an attack. So we need you and your team to evacuate immediately."

"Evacuations. . . So this is pretty serious, huh?" he frowned.

"Very. Let's just say that a. . . hostile military group desperately wants what you uncovered in the ice. If you and your personnel do not leave. . . I am afraid the consequences will be dire," Darkstorm explained.

Doctor Scott, hearing the gravity in her tone, nodded and turned to the few people in the main room. "Let's go, everyone. Go throughout the base and make sure everyone is in the trucks and sleds in five minutes. Hurry!"

There was a mad scramble as the humans rushed out of the base and into their vehicles in order to flee. The evacuation went better than expected. Not even three minutes had passed and the scientists had already started to leave the base. As the last of them began to load themselves into the vehicles, Darkstorm heard the sound of heavy footfall.

"I will secure the relic. Skye, make sure that our human friends reach safety. Darkstorm and Skybreak, you keep the Decepticons at bay," Optimus ordered as he deactivated his holoform. His sheer size caused a small hole to form on the roof of the base the Autobots had no time to worry about that now. Optimus fought to retrieve the relic from the ice as Darkstorm and Skybreak confronted Dreadwing, Starscream, and the Vehicons.

"I had thought we were going our separate ways, Dar'sain and Skri'brak," Dreadwing said solemnly.

"Eh, we weren't thinking so much of separate ways as getting the relic before you did," Skybreak grinned.

"I am afraid Lord Megatron still requires the relic. I will ask you once, bring it me and we shall part peacefully," Dreadwing ordered. His facial plating was stoic and calculating but Darkstorm could once more see the battle within him. His optics screamed at her to concede out of fear of harming her.

Darkstorm drew her weapons. But, she would not concede. She would rather be offlined than have that tyrant get his servos on the relic. "We cannot let you leave with the relic," she said before her voice lowered to a whisper. "T'a b'ron orm, Dre'wan." I'm sorry, Dreadwing.

Dreadwing's lip components parted slightly, as if he was trying to say something more but something held him back. Oh, what was he to do?

**"Stop this. . . Forsake Megatron and his corrupt cause-"**

Corrupt? Dreadwing interrupted. Corrupt? The Autobots offlined his brother. . . Lord Megatron gave him and his twin freedom from the brutal gladiatorial pits, a second chance at life. He could never betray him. He would not follow Dar'sain and Skri'brak. He refused!

In truth, he cared for them. . . Primus knows he did. But he could not disobey his master. He would not let those. . . monsters win.

"Vehicons, fire at will," he ordered. Skybreak threw his sister back as he drew his cannons, firing at the Vehicons. Darkstorm saw that Dreadwing was advancing on the compound and managed to maneuver out of her brother's grasp. Meanwhile, seeing that the Vehicons were otherwise occupied, Starscream slipped away from the fray.

"Darkstorm, don't!"

But she would have none of it. Dreadwing's path was blocked as Darkstorm ran in front of him, blades drawn. "Dre'wan, I love you, dearly. Do not make me do this."

"Dar'sain, stand aside."

Darkstorm offlined her optics and lowered her helm. Her frame shook as she vented. When she exhaled, she looked at Dreadwing with a hardened resolve. "Never."

"Then. . . you leave me no choice!" Darkstorm gasped and stumbled backwards as Dreadwing's sword almost collided with her left wing. She crossed her arms in front of her chassis, blocking another one of his blows. Metal screeched against metal as their blades slid past each other. Not wanting to hurt her friend, Darkstorm kicked the Seeker backwards. Dreadwing tried to gain his momentum back as he stumbled. Darkstorm then swung the tip of her pedde around which colliding with Dreadwing's jaw. He finally fell.

He shakily lifted himself up, wiping some energon away from his mouth. "I see you remember everything I and my brother taught you."

Darkstorm's optics filled with pain. "I've never forgotten. . . Please, Dre'wan. I beg of you. Stop this. . . If you care about my brother or I, you will stop."

"Of course I care about you, Dar'sain. Skri'brak, as well." He charged. "But I will not disgrace my brother's memory by bowing down to those who slaughtered him!"

Darkstorm attempted to shield herself again but to no avail. The much larger mech was too strong. The sword clipped her arm and Darkstorm yelped. Optimus, hearing her cries, rushed outside in order to aid her. Skybreak too, having dealt with the Vehicons, ran to help his sister.

"Dreads, has your processor gone faulty?!" Skybreak exclaimed as he threw him aside. "Think about what you're doing!"

Dreadwing quickly righted himself and swung his sword at Skybreak. Optimus joined the fray from behind, trying to catch the Seeker off guard. Darkstorm watched the struggle, horrified. She clutched her upper arm, wincing as energon leaked out of the superficial wound. She searched for her charge and saw that she was rapidly approaching. It seems that all the humans had left safely.

"Skye, get behind me," she hissed through gritted denta.

The girl obeyed, even as her face showed her concern. "But Darkstorm, your arm. You can't-"

"I have faced far worse injuries," Darkstorm said, wincing. Her optics suddenly widened however as she realized something. "Wait just a nano-klick. Where is-?"

Darkstorm immediately picked up her charge and shielded her as a loud crash could be heard. More of the building was destroyed as Starscream walked up to the group, wearing the relic.

"The Apex Armor," Optimus said solemnly.

Skye's eyes widened. "Why does the phrase 'we're in trouble' spring to mind?"

"Because it's pretty much accurate," Skybreak replied.

"Prepare to bow at the awesome might of Starscream!"

The sheer power of the relic was stunning. Skybreak fired at the suit but it left no mark. Not even a dent. Starscream swatted the Autobots away like flies.

He then turned to Dreadwing, grabbing him on the shoulder plating and slamming him against the wall. "Kneel to your superior, Commander." The last word was filled with mockery as Starscream released the Seeker, who then dropped to his knees.

Dreadwing shakily rose to his peddes, fire in his optics. "I will never kneel to you!" He picked up his sword and tried to land a blow but Starscream casually swatted the weapon away. He lifted the large Seeker up by one of his wings and threw him aside. He landed with a loud thud not too far away from the Autobots.

"And Darkstorm." Starscream turned to the femme, who had shakily brought herself up to one knee after the initial attack. "Because of you and your human pet, I am without my wings."

She turned to her charge, to whom Starscream was closer than herself. "Skye, get out of here!"

Before the girl could comply, the armored Seeker scooped her up with a massive servo. Much as she struggled, Skye could do nothing to free herself as Starscream approached Darkstorm. He kicked her in the shoulder plating, forcing her onto her back, before planting a pedde over her spark chamber.

"So I believe it would be fitting to force it to watch as I inflict the same upon you." He knelt, reaching for one of Darkstorm's wings.

Skye pounded on the servo holding her with her fist. "Leave her alone!"

A blast of energon struck Starscream's outstretched servo, doing little damage but drawing his attention away from Darkstorm. They both looked at the origin, and saw Skybreak's cannon pointed at him.

"Step away from Darkstorm and put the kid down."

Starscream smiled maliciously. "Or what, you'll shoot? This armor can take anything you-" Darkstorm's pedde connected with the helm-piece, interrupting the Seeker as his face collided with the armor. The shock and force of the kick sent him falling back, his servo opening as he fell.

Time seemed to slow down as Skye was thrown away from Skybreak and Darkstorm. She instinctively reached for them as she soared through the air, but as she spun she couldn't keep her eyes on them. It was dizzying just keeping her eyes open. Gray, lights, red, black, gray, lights, red, black, gray, lights, red-thud!

Her eyes closed as her back made contact with the ground and the air was thrust from her lungs. A few seconds later she gasped, her eyes shooting opened as she took in a breath. Her fingers curled against the ground-wait . . . metal? Still lying on her back, she tilted her head back to see red plating and blue optics. She grunted and righted herself, still laying down but placing her weight on her right elbow.

"Are you alright, Skye?" Optimus had caught her? Skye smiled at the Prime.

"Thanks for the save, Optimus." She groaned and placed a hand on her chest. Scrap, that hurt. "Just a little sore is all."

Optimus nodded and gently placed Skye on the ground. "Now, I suggest you move to safety." Skye shakily nodded and immediately complied.

When Optimus saw that Dreadwing had righted himself, he turned towards the Seeker. "Dreadwing, you must listen to reason when I tell you that we must work together in order to defeat Starscream. Will you aid us?"

Dreadwing took this in before slowly nodding. "I shall. . . but do not expect that you will walk away online the next time we meet." Dreadwing surveyed the battlefield, looking away from his damaged friends, and observed Starscream. He was quiet for several moments as he thought upon a proper battle strategy until. . .

"Distract him, Prime. I shall do the rest."

Optimus nodded and immediately joined the rest of his team in engaging the armored Seeker. Meanwhile, Dreadwing began to set some of his explosive devices. When Starscream's back was turned, he ran forward and placed them at strategic places in the snow. Finally, having completed the task, he motioned for the Autobots to fall back.

Starscream laughed as he saw the Autobots supposedly fleeing. "Why the sudden cowardice, Prime? Is it because you know you cannot win?"

"No, it is because he knows you are about to meet an untimely end."

Starscream whipped around to face Dreadwing but it was too late. Dreadwing had already engaged the explosive devices to blow. Tremors shook the ground as the ice around the Seeker caved in. Starscream feebly tried to escape but was lost in the midst of the chaos. After the frost and debris had cleared, nothing was visible except a whole in the ice.

Skybreak cautiously walked over to the edge of the whole with his cannons forward. He peered into the murky water before venting and turning to the others. "He's gone."

Darkstorm too vented. "Thank God." She turned to Dreadwing with a soft smile. "Thank you, Dre'wan, for helping us."

Dreadwing nodded formally and turned away. "Just do not think that I will do it again." He transformed and took to the skies.

Darkstorm vented again, this time sadly, before turning to her charge. "Ski'ri, are you alright?"

Skye gave the Seeker a thumbs up. "Couldn't be better. Well . . .maybe a bit warmer."

She half smiled. "That certainly is good to-" All the bots paused as they heard an incoming comm.

"Optimus, we require that you come back soon. I am in need of assistance," Ratchet said, his tone solemn.

"I believe our mission is finished. . . Send in a ground bridge and we shall return."

A few moments later, a ground bridge appeared by their location and they returned to the Autobot base. They were all shocked however, as they saw Bulkhead laid on a berth. Ratchet seemed to labor over his back, smoke still rising from it.

"What in the name of Cybertron happened?" Darkstorm demanded as she rushed over to the med bay in order to help with the repairs.

"Hardshell happened," Drift replied. "An Insecticon followed me and Bulkhead and tried to take the relic. And, while we destroyed it, it still attacked. . ." He vented and shook his helm. "I-I tried to help but the next thing I knew, Bulkhead was on the ground with smoke rising from his back." He gazed at Darkstorm desperately. "Is he going to be alright?"

"I don't know. . . He suffered extensive damage. . . It is hard to tell at this point."

"But, he's going to be alright, isn't he?" Miko demanded.

Darkstorm bit her bottom lip component and did not answer. "Isn't he?"

"Listen, kid, Bulk's been through a lost worse," Wheeljack said. "I'm sure with the docs' help, he'll be back to normal in no time."

Still, it did not seem to alleviate her worry. Miko looked downwards as her eyes watered and she immediately began to walk away from the others. Wreckers didn't cry.

_"Storm. . . what happened to you?"_ Bumblebee asked her once he caught sight of her damaged arm.

Darkstorm momentarily stopped working and met her scout's concerned gaze. She glanced down at the wound and winced. The energon flow had momentarily ceased but the blade had left a much deeper mark than she realized. She vented and returned to her work. "It is not important." Bulkhead needed the repairs far more than she did.

"Don't say that, Darkstorm." Skye's stance was that of a mother scolding her child, one hand on her hip and the other pointed at the Seeker. "You can't operate at one hundred percent when you can't tell your energon from your patient's. Ratchet can handle Bulkhead while you fix yourself up."

"But-"

"Darkstorm, I believe it would be wise to heed her advise. Weld your arm shut and then you can aid me in repairing the lumbar circuitry," Ratchet commanded.

Darkstorm vented but complied. She hesitantly stepped away from the main operating table and grabbed a standard welder. She began the tedious work and, every so often, looked over at the patient. Her spark nearly broke at the sight of her injured comrade and the thought of Miko and Wheeljack possibly losing him.

God, help him. . .

**A/N: So many feels in this chapter T.T I nearly cried several times while writing it. First, 'Storm has to deal with Dreadwing drama and now this. It's terrible. *Sniffles***

**Well, anyways, we hope you liked it, as sad as it was. We thank all of those lovely folks who have favorited, followed, and reviewed this story. We thank you so much!**

**"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10**

**Theme Song: Chasm by Flyleaf (Also, the song that inspired the title of this fic)**

**To Savvy Orion: *hands you cookies* We thank you for the compliments. We are so glad that you love our story. It does inspire us to write more. As for my user name, I first wanted to use Raven'sBook (tying into my love of Edgar Allan Poe and reading) for my Mibba account. However, through an accident, I ended up choosing Dream'sRealm. Sort of a spurr of the moment kind of deal. Plus, it fit me because my dreams… were an escape from reality and I adored them. Then when I deleted my Mibba account and moved to Fanfiction, it stuck.**

**A/N: Aaaaaand greetings from moyashi~ lemme tell ya, I enjoyed writing for Screamer more than I thought I would. There's just something about getting in the mindset of him . . . no loyalties, sadist, greedy . . . something a girl of the light side shouldn't love so much yet here I am. I think it's these mushy feels that keep me grounded in the light :3 anywho, as always, thanks so much for all teh love and support~ blondie-moyashi out!**

**God bless all of you!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**Disclaimer: Transformers Prime and its respective canon characters belong to Hasbro and the Hub. We only own our OCs. Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher and Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Drift, Shiv, and Jolt.**

Everyone turned their heads at the scraping sound as Wheeljack and Miko returned. The Wrecker was favoring one leg and holding one arm to his chassis while the girl looked . . . uncharacteristically sad. No, that wasn't the right one, more like depressed. The duo had no doubt done something rash, but everyone was just glad they came back in one piece.

Skye dropped the stunner and welder, abandoning her temporary work station in the main area with everyone else to join the other humans. The look on the girl's face, like her soul had been shattered, almost broke Skye's heart. She took a few long strides to close the distance between them, wrapping Miko in a hug. "He'll be okay, Miko."

"Make no mistake, Bulkhead has a lot of recovery ahead of him." Ratchet sounded grim. "But given proper therapy and time, I believe he may recover as much as can be expected after exposure to raw Tox-En."

Miko smiled weakly at Skye before walking towards Bulkhead, climbing onto his chassis with some assistance from Darkstorm. The room fell silent as she sat, brought her knees to her chest, and began weeping. "I promise I will never leave you again."

Wheeljack stared at his friend before venting. "I'm not sure I want to see Bulk right now. Not like this." The Wrecker transformed, though the transition sounded painful, and sped out of the base.

Everyone went back to their previous tasks, albeit a bit sadly. The medics returned their attention to Bulkhead, Optimus continued to decode the Iacon database, and Skye decided to continue tinkering. It may not help him directly, but she hoped that the modifications she made would prevent everyone from getting hurt again. Assuming they worked properly.

She welded the cover onto the stunner, tapping on it with a knuckle to make sure it was solid. With the amount of power that would be pumping through it now, the last thing she needed was for it to backfire. She'd kept the original setting designed to incapacitate humans, but the second setting was still something of a prototype. The power flow was increased, hopefully making it more efficient against Cybertronians-the Decepticons, rather-but without doing any permanent damage. Flip side of that was the danger it posed to humans.

But in times of war, one does what must be done. Especially to protect their family.

After several more hours of continuing to stabilize the Wrecker, Darkstorm turned to Miko. "Miko?" she asked softly. The girl remained frozen before she hesitantly lifted up her head to meet the Seeker's gaze. Darkstorm spark ached for her as she saw the utter sorrow in her eyes.

"Yeah?" she replied, her voice hoarse from her weeping.

"Would you mind if I place you away from the berth? We must turn Bulkhead over in order to check on his injury."

What surprised Darkstorm was that she made no move to protest. The Miko she knew would have stayed with the Wrecker and clung to his chassis while yelling that no one could make her leave. "Sure. . ."

Darkstorm half smiled encouragingly as she helped Miko onto the floor. Miko bit her lip to prevent herself from crying once more as she saw the immense damage to her guardian's back as Darkstorm and Ratchet gently turned him over. She winced and turned away before trudging over to the roof of the base.

Skye followed the girl. If asked to leave she would, but sometimes being left to one's own mind didn't help as much as one would think. Dark thoughts and an emotional mind distorting things never helped.

She settled down next to Miko, looking off at the horizon and pretending not to notice her crying. Things like this were always hard . . .

"You know, it could be a lot worse." Skye sighed before looking at Miko. "He could be conscious. As hard as it sounds, sometimes being unaware of the pain is better than having to fight through it. As is, he won't know the worst of it when he wakes up."

Miko sniffed and wiped her eyes. "I guess. . ."

"You know . . . when I was in the accident that took my leg, I was awake until they sedated me at the hospital. I've never felt such pain before, nor would I wish it upon anyone. There's nothing so horrible as having to wait for relief, when each minute feels like an hour and a month feels like an eternity." Skye instinctively looked at her leg. "This is rough, but Bulkhead has someone who cares for him more than anyone else can, and she'll be a key part in helping him get back on his feet."

"I wouldn't have to get him back on his feet if I had been there. . . I wasn't there for him and look what happened. He could have. . . died, because of me."

"Miko, you can focus on the past, try to lay blame, fix how it should have gone in your mind . . . But looking back isn't going to help anyone, especially Bulkhead. If you work on today, and look forward to tomorrow, that will save you a lot of heartache, and it will more than make up for any wrongs already done."

She sighed heavily. "It's just so hard. . . Wheeljack and I. . . We scrapped Hardshell. I should be feeling better instead of worse. And I'm scared. I'm scared that Bulkhead may never get better."

Skye nodded. "That is more than understandable. But I have faith that he is in great hands, both those we can see and those we cannot."

Miko became silent. She gazed out at the desert landscape for what seemed like eternity until she decided to voice the question that had been nagging her at the back of her mind. "Do you. . . Do you think that if He wanted to. . . that God could heal Bulkhead?" She sighed and shook her head. "I know it sounds silly and I've never really thought about it before but. . . I've heard 'Storm talk about Him. She said that He healed her when Megatron shot her and she was in that coma. . . Do you think He would the same for Bulk'?"

Skye smiled. "Absolutely. He works miracles for a living, and He knows Bulkhead still has a lot of work to do. He gave Bulkhead a strong body, a stronger spark, and I have faith that if Bulk needs any help in waking up, God will give him the nudge he needs." Her smiled softened. "People claim horrible accidents and natural disasters and the pain in one's family to be punishment for some unknown reason, but I believe He's benevolent and takes care of us in this messed up world. So yes, I believe with all my heart God will pull Bulkhead through this."

Miko weakly smiled. "Well, if He did it for 'Storm, then I guess He can do it for Bulk' too."

"I can't imagine a reason why He wouldn't."

Miko nodded, her smile broadening slightly, before she turned back to gaze at the desert. Silence reigned between the two until Miko spoke up again. "You won't tell Optimus or Darkstorm, will you?"

"Of course not. But what is it exactly I'm not telling them?"

"That I went with Wheeljack to scrap Hardshell," Miko shook her helm. "I know Optimus would just lecture me and Wheeljack and Darkstorm would go all apepoo. And. . . I couldn't take that right now."

Skye nodded as she smiled softly. "Of course."

"Thanks," she smiled. "You know, you're pretty alright, Skye."

The girl laughed. "Yeah, you're not too bad yourself." She shrugged. "I mean, if I can put up with Skybreak, I think I can tolerate you." She smiled teasingly, looking at Miko out of the corner of her eye.

Miko huffed and punched Skye in the shoulder playfully. "I am so not as bad as him."

Skye considered the comment. "Yeah, I think I'll give ya that." Skye's smile slowly dropped. "He's alright, too. Just takes some getting used to."

"He's okay for a 'Con. . . I guess it does take some getting used to. I mean, I still remember when 'Storm came back from the 'Con warship and she got those scars in between her wings. . . It's hard to accept that he's cool now after all that happened."

"I guess I never heard about that." Skye paused. "But that makes sense. Even so, now he's a great help, and is obviously doing everything to protect Darkstorm. If my guardian trusts him, that's reason enough for me to."

Miko withheld herself from biting back another comment about 'Cons. She knew Darkstorm wasn't really a 'Con. She was so nice and understanding to everyone from the first day she showed up at the base. Even the Vehicon and miners were alright in her book. But Skybreak? The bot that shot his own sister in the back, literally, and who wanted to talk to her all because of a stupid relic? And the bot who attacked Jackie all because he was giving a 'Con what he deserved? He would have to take some getting used to because, quite frankly, Miko still didn't trust him.

"Then again," Skye shrugged. "He did save my bacon back at that MECH base, so I guess I owe him one."

"Yeah, I heard about that. Bulk' said he saved both you and Agent Stuffy and then blew up the base. . . At least, he did something right."

"Yeah . . ." Skye's focus wasn't on the conversation, but back at that night. The feel of the gun against her head . . . it still made her shudder.

"You okay?" Miko turned to Skye.

"Hhmm?" Skye looked wide-eyed at Miko, surprised. "Oh, yeah. Just . . . ya know . . ."

"Yeah. . . I know," Miko nodded.

"The truth is that if Skybreak hadn't been there, Fowler and I wouldn't be here now." She smiled slightly. "Even so, there's nowhere on Earth I'd rather be."

"Ditto," she smiled. "Life with the 'Bots. . ." Her smile faltered slightly. "Life with Bulk', is just awesome, you know?"

"Oh believe me, I know. I used to spend my days holed up in my room and tinkering. Now . . ." Skye shook her head. "We have a life so many can only imagine."

"Back when I lived with my parents in Japan. . . life was just so. . . boring. I went to a school full of sticks in the mud and I had to wear this totally lame uniforms. . . And it was like. . . I had to live up to what my parents wanted me to be. But with Bulk', I can actually be myself," Miko confided. "And no matter what I do, how crazy I can get. . . he still cares about me."

"I hear you. My parents and I never really had the 'typical' parent-child relationship. In England, we kinda just ignored each other. After my accident, my mum started smothering me and my father still couldn't care less. There are times I think he only stuck around for the money. But now I have a real family, as do you." Skye smiled and tilted her head at Miko.

Miko laughed softly. "Certainly beats hanging around my real and host parents, that's for sure."

"Yup, we've got the life." Skye interlaced her fingers and rested them of the back of her head. "You know, when Bulkhead wakes up, you'll have to take me . . . oh what's the word here, dune-bashing?"

Miko brightened. "Of course! Oh, man, you'll love it, Skye. Bulk's an animal when we go dune-bashing! Add some Slash Monkey and then it's totally awesome!"

Skye laughed. "Sounds great! Certainly better than going alone. I may have to show you some of my favorite spots in New York. The trails can get pretty exciting."

"Really? We've never been to New York before, just trials here in Nevada or California. But those sound pretty beast," she grinned.

"Oh, they are. Most people think of New York as the Big Apple, but there are some mountains and lakes. Not quite like in England, but still better than being surrounded by ten million people."

"I can imagine," Miko replied. "Try spending fourteen years of your life in Tokyo. . . It makes you want to get away."

"To a small, boring town in the middle of the desert. Go figure."

"It was still America," Miko shrugged before grinning. "Besides, this small, boring town in the middle of the desert has wicked giant robot aliens. What more could you ask for?"

Skye nodded. "Touche."

"Well. . . I'd better get back. When Bulk' wakes up, I want to be there," Miko stood up and brushed off her shorts before turning to Skye with a smile. "Thanks, Skye. For everything."

She smiled. "Don't mention it."

Skye looked out at the horizon again as Miko went back inside. Even though her dreams of late had been less . . . nightmarish, Skye still couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was coming. Like . . . really bad. And really soon. It couldn't . . . no, Bulkhead was going to be fine. But there was something eating away at her thoughts, and she didn't like what it implied. And what was under that clearing?

She sighed and hung her head. What was it she'd told Darkstorm, worrying didn't help? Did that count when there wasn't anything Skye could do to help regardless of what was going through her mind?

Well, better get back inside before they think I fell off or something. She stood and walked toward the entrance to the base. Before the others saw her she sighed, forcing those thoughts back to a dark corner of her mind.

Darkstorm, sensing her charge approaching, looked over and smiled warmly. "Are you alright, Ski'ri?"

Skye nodded. "All's well." She smiled. "It's just been a crazy few days."

"That is certain," she vented. "Crazy. . . and unexpected." Darkstorm smiled slightly. "Let us hope that there are no more surprises."

Skye ran her fingers through her hair as she smiled. "You got that right. But something tells me things are going to get a bit more exciting, just because you said it."

And, things were, indeed, about to get exciting.

**A/N: Hey there everyone! Man, it's been a busy week but luckily, I wrote this chapter ahead of schedule so I am able to post it on time. So… we hope you enjoy all teh feels that we have to offer!**

**As always, we continually thank all those lovely individuals who have reviewed, favorited, and followed this story and we hope that this chapter has met your expectations. And may God bless all of you!**

**To Savvy Orion: I definitely agree with you there. I almost cry every time I write the sad chappies with Dreads and 'Storm. *sniffs* And Bulk… Poor Miko. And yes, I have heard of those songs and now that I think about it, they totally do remind me of them! And we will most certainly try to keep up the good work. Thank you for all the lovely reviews!**

**2 Timothy 1:7 "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."**

**A/N: Moyashi here~ so feels. Lots of feels here~ and craziness indeed o.o little does our little group know just what craziness is to come mwahahahahahaaaa! Sorry I can't think of many intelligent things to say at the moment, I went to the dentist today and I still can't taste anything, which is equal parts distracting and distressing. But yes, thank you for the love, as always, aaaand Avengers popsicles for all this time~~**

**Theme Song: This is the Time by Superchick**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: All rights to Transformers Prime and its canon characters belong to Hasbro and the Hub. We only own our OCs and the drama we concoct in our own processors. Dream'sRealm owns Darkstorm, Skybreak, Drift, Shiv, and Jolt and Blondie-moyashi owns Skye Shelsher.**

Skye and Jack were all gathered around Raf's computer screen as the young hacker was removing pictures of the 'Bots on conspiracy websites and replacing them with his own animations. Skye giggled as she saw a photo of Bumblebee being replaced with a tap-dancing monkey.

"You do this often?"

"Someone has to make sure the 'Bots don't get discovered," Raf chuckled. "Especially considering how much the camera loves 'Bee."

The scout scoffed. "It's not my fault. . . I wasn't even doing anything, just minding my own business on the freeway when some guy with a cell phone posts it on that close encounters website. It's ridiculous."

"Whatever you say, 'Bee," his charge laughed.

Jack paused as he saw a strange object in one of the photos. It looked like it was coming into Earth's atmosphere. "Hey, Raf. Do you know what this is?"

Raf turned to study the photo. "No. . . and it certainly doesn't look fake." He turned to the nearest 'Bots which were Drift, Shiv, and Jolt. "Do any of you guys know what this is?"

"It depends on what you're-" Drift paused once he saw the picture and his optics widen. "An escape pod?"

"What could an escape pod be doing out here?" Jolt asked. "Unless Megatron sent for more reinforcements."

"Kinda hard to tell from the picture whether it's a 'Con or not," Shiv said. "But. . . if it's a 'Bot. . ."

They all turned as Optimus approached. The leader of the Autobots studied the image before reaching a decision. "This must be investigated. If it is an ally, then we must lead them to safety before the Decepticons discover their presence here."

"Permission to accompany this mission, Optimus," Darkstorm said. "My services may be needed if there is an injured mech or femme inside the pod."

He nodded. "Permission granted, Darkstorm. Autobots, prepare to roll out."

Hearing this, Bulkhead momentarily stopped his exercises with Miko and shakily stood up. The mech wobbled for a few moments but eventually caught his balance. Slowly and steadily, he limped over to the others.

"Upupup! There is no way in the pit am I allowing you out into the field this early. You can barely walk as it is, let alone fight!" Ratchet scolded.

"But, Optimus-"

His protests were stopped when his leader placed a gentle servo on his shoulder plating. "I know you wish to help us, Bulkhead, and I admire your spirit but you will only harm yourself more by not heeding our medical officers' orders. Stay here and regain your strength. You will be able to accompany us again in the field soon enough."

Bulkhead glanced downwards sadly and vented. "Fine," he muttered as he made his way back over to his charge.

He hated this, feeling weak. He felt he could do nothing to help. He was a liability. All he was good for was collecting dust at the base. . . Oh, if the other Wreckers could see him now. He'd be a laughingstock.

"Bulkhead," Darkstrom said softly once she reached him. "I know how it feels to be useless. . . weak. But you will recover from this injury, I know you will. However, the only way that is going to happen is if you rest. No one gets better in one cycle. . ."

He vented. "I know. . ." He smiled weakly. "Kick some 'Con tailpipe for me, will ya?"

Darkstorm smiled. "But, of course." She turned to Miko. "Take care of him while I'm gone."

"Leave it to me, 'Storm," she smiled.

Darkstorm bid her and Bulkhead farewell, as well as the other humans before she moved out with the rest of the team. When they arrived, at the scene they saw that the pod was greatly damaged, though there seemed to be no one inside. The Autobots were all on their guard however as they saw the insignia that was on the pod. . .

"Decepticons," Arcee glared.

And it seemed like Megatron was sending a small party to welcome the soldier. Squadrons of Vehicons and Insecticons rapidly approached. The Autobots dodged cannon fire as the Decepticons began to attack. They managed to hide behind some foliage but that only provided so much cover. With the Insecticons with them, the force was formidable indeed.

Until, that is, the mech in the escape pod decided to make himself known. A form could be seen running towards the enemy as more ion cannon fire was discharged. Darkstorm could tell however that the mech had not been properly trained for his aim was dangerously close to the. . . leaking energon from the crash.

"Everybody get out of here!" Skybreak yelled. Heeding his words, the Autobots ran for cover just as one of the mech's shots hit the energon leak. A fire started and an explosion immediately followed. The ground shook and Darkstorm fearfully placed her servos over her audial receptors and closed her optics. A few moments passed before the tremors ceased.

She cautiously onlined her optics and immediately looked for her brother, memories of that energon fire on Vorain reemerging in her processor. She vented in relief as she saw that he and her beloved scout were unharmed, as was the rest of her team.

"What the pit was that? Doesn't he know not to shoot at an energon leak?" Jolt asked incredulously.

"At least he got rid of the 'Cons for us," Arcee conceded as she brushed dirt off her frame.

Skybreak turned to glare irritatedly as he heard enthusiastic yelling coming from a short distance away. "Oh, him and I'll have a few words. The slagger nearly got us all offlined."

As the smoke began to clear, Darkstorm and the others could observe the newcomer more closely. He was young for a mech with white and blue paint and an Autobot insignia on his chassis. He was also of Praxian descent, judging from his large doorwings. The youth exuberantly fist bumped before he turned to look at the others.

And, unfortunately, the first bots he saw were the Vehicon, miners, and Skybreak, all of whom still had their Decepticon insignias. His optics narrowed as he drew his cannons and began firing. "Take that, 'Cons!"

Jolt stumbled backwards and yelled in pain as a shot connected with his knee joint. Skybreak pushed the others behind him protectively and drew his own cannon. "What the frag are you doing? We're on your side!"

"Like I've never heard that one before," the mech remarked as he ran towards them, still firing.

Skybreak smirked. Oh. . . he was going to have some fun with this one. He attacked first, right? He prepared to fire before Optimus motioned for him to stop.

"Soldier, I order that you stop this at once." Optimus' voice rang out with power and the youth immediately stopped dead in his tracks. He gazed up at the Prime with wide optics.

"Optimus? Optimus Prime?"

"Yes, it's Optimus fragging Prime. Now, the question I want answered is what's wrong with you?" Skybreak growled. "Your little firing session nearly blew all of us sky high and then you go around shooting at us like a youngling."

The youth seemed taken aback. "I-I. . . I thought. . . The Decepticon insignia. . . I figured that-" he stammered.

"Well, you thought wrong," a wrathful feminine voice interrupted. The mech turned and saw the black and purple Seeker femme and he once more began to feel confused. . . She had the Autobot insignia. . . but she had red optics. Is this some sort of Decepticon trick?

"Do not fire unless fired upon. That is something I thought every Autobot, especially a member of the Elite Guard, should know," Darkstorm glared.

The mech's optics widened. "H-How did you-?"

She gestured to the Elite Guard Autobot symbol on his right shoulder plate. "I'm not blind. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a patient to attend to," she hissed through clenched denta.

Smokescreen nodded and immediately stepped aside as a slight shiver went up his spinal plating. If looks could kill. . .

He turned to the Prime. "Optimus, what is going on here? I-I'm sorry if I hurt anyone. . . I-I just thought. . . you know, that-"

"I am well aware what you might have thought. And, while our allies may still carry Megatron's banner, they are by no means a part of the Decepticon cause. They joined the Autobots long ago. . . In the future, however, it would be wise to follow Darkstorm's words. An Autobot does not fire upon an enemy unless fired upon, understood?" Optimus asked sternly.

"Y-Yes, Optimus," the mech nodded, slightly guilty over what had just transpired.

Optimus nodded. "Now, what is your designation, soldier? And how is it you have come to this planet?"

"And why were you in a 'Con pod?" Arcee asked suspiciously.

He rubbed the back of his helm. "That's. . . kind of a long story. To start, my designation is Smokescreen. As to how I came to this planet?. . . Well, I guess it started when I joined the Elite Guard. During the later days of the war, I was sent on a security detail at Iacon. Nothing too fancy. I was just guarding Alpha Trion and a bunch of old relics."

"You knew. . . Alpha Trion?" Optimus asked.

"Yeah. I wasn't too thrilled about staying at the Iacon Hall of Records at first but the old geezer wasn't too bad. After all, he was the one who petitioned the council to let you become a Prime."

And it was then that Optimus knew that he was no spy. Only Alpha Trion, he himself, and the high council knew about Alpha Trion's petition. "And, how you came to possess a Decepticon escape pod?"

"When the 'Cons attacked Iacon, I was thrilled. . . I thought I was going to taste some real action but, instead, I was thrown into stasis by some weapon. Next thing I knew, I was aboard a Decepticon vessel. I managed to escape and grabbed a pod and. . . here I am," Smokescreen explained.

Optimus studied the young bot once more before he spoke. "Then, we welcome you to Earth, Smokescreen. Ratchet, prepare a ground bridge. We have a visitor."

A few moments later a ground bridge appeared and the Autobots stepped through, though they seemed less than thrilled that Smokescreen was coming with them. The rookie nervously averted his gaze as the 'Bots, the former 'Cons in particular, glared at him.

Darkstorm gently helped Shiv and Drift get Jolt onto a medical berth before she immediately set to work, purposely ignoring Miko's excitement at the new comer.

That's just what we need, she inwardly scoffed. A brash mech who shoots first, ask questions later, and who's fresh out of the academy.

"What's your story, huh? Where did you come from? How did you get here? How many blasters are you packing?" Miko rapidly asked.

"Are. . . all the native lifeforms like this?" Smokescreen asked Ratchet.

"Fortunately not," the grumpy medic replied.

Smokescreen chuckled before turning to the others. "I wouldn't worry about the war too much, you guys. With Optimus and me here, it'll be over in no time."

Skybreak grit his denta together and clenched his fists. Oh, how he wanted to pound the mech's facial plating in the dust. . .

The base became silent as the injured Wrecker limped into the main room. Smokescreen's optics widened slightly as he saw Bulkhead struggle just to take a few steps.

What in the name of Cybertron could have happened to him?

"War'll be over in no time, huh? This," Bulkhead gestured to himself. "is how the war is going. If you think you're the ticket that'll help us win, then you need a reality check, kid."

Smokescreen frowned and lowered his helm. "I-I'm sorry. . ."

Miko looked up and tried to smile at her guardian encouragingly but he would not meet her gaze. She too frowned as she saw him glare at the new recruit and hobble back to his place in the med bay. Miko immediately ran after him.

Wanting to relieve the tense atmosphere, Jack spoke up. "Umm. . . Smokescreen, is it? Why don't you have Skye give you a tour of the base?"

Skye smiled somewhat shyly. "Sure thing."

Smokescreen followed suite. "Er. . . thanks. . . Well, lead the way."

Skye got off the platform, gesturing to the hall leading to everyone's quarters. Smokescreen immediately followed.

"So . . . were you the one in that escape pod?" Skye looked up at the mech as she spoke.

"Yeah," he smiled. "Name's Smokescreen."

Skye bowed her head in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Smokescreen. As Jack said, I'm Skye. Resident techie."

"Techie, huh? Well, nice to meet you too, Skye," Smokescreen grinned before venting. "You seem to be one of the few that actually seem glad I'm here."

The girl shrugged. "Well, I kinda got here at a bad time too. I'm sure the others will warm up to you, it'll just take some time."

"Something tells me it'll take more than just time. . ." Smokescreen rubbed the back of his helm, shivering slightly at the thought of former 'Cons roaming around the base. . . former 'Cons who probably hated him and who probably wouldn't mind offlining him while he recharged.

Okay now, Smokes. No need to freak yourself out. They became Autobots for a reason. . . and if Optimus trusts them, then so do I.

"Well, nothing worthwhile is ever easy." Skye gestured to the doors on either side of them. "Now, these are the quarters. Everyone has their own, except for us humans. The others live in town and I bunk with Darkstorm, eh, one of the medics."

Smokescreen looked at the human in surprise. "You mean, the Seeker femme? The former 'Con? You actually bunk with her?"

Skye smiled. "I'm from the other side of the country, so I can't exactly go home every night. And I have . . . reasons for not staying at one of the kids' homes. And since Darkstorm is my guardian, it kinda just made sense that I stay with her."

"Guardian, huh? She doesn't seem like the guardian type. . ." Smokescreen, fearing that he had offended Skye, immediately backtracked. "I-I mean, she seems like a decent femme. . . I just- she didn't seem too friendly."

"You just don't know her yet. Darkstorm is one of the kindest people I know. Or . . . Cybertronians." Skye shook her head. "Anyway, tour." She turned to continue down the hall.

"If you say so. . ." Smokescreen conceded as he followed Skye down the hallway.

They reached a fork in the hall. Skye gestured to the right. "Over there is the training area. It's not much more than a huge empty storage bay, but it's still something." She turned to the left and continued walking. "Down this way is where we store the relics we've picked up thus far. A lot of them come from the Iacon Hall of Records, and ended up on Earth of all places."

"What a coincidence. I used to work there. . ." Smokescreen peered into one of the sealed rooms. "So, how many have the 'Bots got?"

Skye rubbed the back of her neck. "That's a good question, actually. We acquired two recently, and there are a few from before I showed up. I've actually rarely been in this part of the base myself."

"Huh. Well, judging from the look of things, you probably have a lot more than the 'Cons," Smokescreen observed.

"We try, but sometimes things don't work out the way we'd like. We know for certain Soundwave got the sonic blaster, and Starscream had the Apex armor when we last saw him."

"Apex Armor and the sonic blaster. . . I'm sure that the 'Bots can do without them but they're still dangerous in 'Con servos, especially Starscream's," Smokescreen shook his helm and turned back to Skye. "I've heard about that stiletto-heeled freak back when I was in the Elite Guard."

Skye snickered. "He certainly has some fancy footwear." She nodded to the Elite Guard insignia on Smokescreen's shoulder. "Elite Guard, huh?"

"Yeah, though it was more of a bootcamp when I joined. The Autobots needed more soldiers and so some of the senior officers in the Elite took on the job to train us. . . Not a very fun experience but it did help me get where I am today," Smokescreen shrugged and smiled. "Call it destiny."

Skye smiled. "At least it's something to help. Sometimes the hardest thing is not being able to do anything in aide." Her face turned more serious. "Be wary, though. Many treturous deeds have been done in the name of destiny."

"Pfft, now you're sounding like your guardian," Smokescreen joked before venting. "I don't know. . . I just can't help but feel that everything that happened, happened to me for a reason. . . like I'm destined for greatness." He chuckled and shook his helm. "It sounds stupid, I know."

Skye shook her head. "No, I believe everything happens for a reason. I just also believe that if you focus on reaching greatness you fall short. If you just focus on the here and now, it'll find you."

Smokescreen slowly smiled. "I guess you're right. . . Thanks."

The human smiled. "Don't mention it. That's what I'm here for, good listener and passing on philosophical lines I've picked up over the years."

"You know what? You're not that bad, Skye," Smokescreen chuckled. "And I really do appreciate it."

"Oh, just wait til you get to know me. I imagine I can be a real pain in Darkstorm's neck at times."

"You? A pain? No way," Smokescreen grinned.

Skye laughed. "Way." She turned her attention back to the hall. "Okaayy, so that's pretty much all there is to see. We can take the short way back to the others." Skye turned the corner, but stopped when she realized she didn't recognize the corridor. "Um, it's probably further down." She pointed to the hall they were just traveling down, indicating that they go on ahead. She was unsure though, as she didn't seem to recognize this part either.

Oh well, she thought. I haven't been here often. Maybe it's just a little ways further.

* * *

Darkstorm smiled encouragingly at Jolt, though she was still inwardly fuming at the new comer. She knew that he was not aware that they were Autobots and the smoke did shroud things. . . but surely he must have realized something was amiss when they weren't shooting at him! She vented and tried to calm down. It was not like her to hold grudges. . . Maybe she was being too hard on him. . .

Still, it was because of him that she had to replace Jolt's knee joint.

"There you go, Jolt. Good as new."

"Thanks for working your magic on me, sweetspark," Jolt grinned.

Darkstorm rolled her optics but laughed all the same. "Yes, well, you're welcome." She smiled. "I am just glad that you are all unharmed."

"That wheel-grinder needs to be more careful," Drift crossed his arms, also surly from their previous encounter. "I mean, he could have aimed higher and hit Jolt right in the spark-"

"But, he didn't. He is online and well and so are you. I realize this Smokescreen was misguided. . ." Darkstorm scoffed. "Believe me, I am infuriated at him as well but. . ." She vented. "I also remember how Optimus went out on a limb to rescue me, a Decepticon. I trust his decision in bringing Smokescreen here. . . Besides, he is young and has much to learn. One cannot help that."

"Yeah. . . let's just hope it doesn't happen again."

Darkstorm turned when she heard familiar footfall approaching. "Hey, 'Storm. You have any idea where Skye went?" Skybreak asked.

"She is still giving Smokescreen a tour of the base, I believe. Why?"

"They've been gone for four hours, 'Storm. Surely it couldn't take that long for a simple tour."

Darkstorm's brow furrowed. "Perhaps. . . Come. We should search for them. Jolt, I should be back soon." She began to run towards the main hallway. "And don't you dare try to use that leg without my supervision!"

"Sure thing, babe!" Jolt chuckled and called out.

A half an hour later, Skybreak and Darkstorm were still searching for Skye and their new recruit. Still, there was no sign of them and, truth be told, they both began to panic.

"Skye!" Darkstorm yelled as she ran down yet another hallway. "Ski'ri, where are you?"

"Smokescreen, you better not have done anything or I swear I'll rip out your spark!" Skybreak called as he followed his sister.

The pair eventually found them at the end of a particularly confusing hallway adjacent to the washracks. "Ski'ri!" Darkstorm exclaimed as she picked up the girl and held her to her chassis. "Oh, my dear Ski'ri. I was so worried. . . I didn't know where you'd gone and my brother told me you went missing for several hours. . . Are you alright?"

Smokescreen stared at the scene, surprised. Skye sure wasn't kidding. . . Seeing the former 'Con so worried about a human, it certainly changed his perception of her.

The girl laughed nervously. "Only hours. Felt like years in this maze . . ."

Darkstorm frowned and held up the girl to optic level. She vented however as she saw that she was unharmed. "Oh, thank God. . ." She gently placed the girl down. "But how on earth could you get lost down here? There's only four or five main hallways with three intersections each. . . and the washracks have a door that leads to the outside."

"It was kind of my fault." Skye adopted a shy posture. "We were talking and I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and the next thing I knew, we were in a corridor reminiscent of a B-grade horror film."

"We're sorry we made you worry though, Darkstorm. . . and Skybreak. It won't happen again," Smokescreen apologized.

Darkstorm vented. "It is alright, Smokescreen. We cannot help but become worried. . . Skybreak cares for her deeply and. . . she is my charge." She smiled. "In the future however, please try to be more careful, you two."

"Of course."

Skye nodded. "Will do. Now . . ." she sighed. "How in the pits of Kaon do we get out of here?"

Darkstorm turned to her brother with a glare. "Bruda. . ."

"What?" Skybreak raised his servos in a defensive position. "I never said that around her."

She crossed her arms and turned to Smokescreen with a raised optic ridge. "Heh," Smokescreen chuckled nervously. "I may have let something slip."

Darkstorm shook her helm bemusedly. "This way," she gestured for the others to follow. They made a few more turns down the hallway and eventually they ended up at the main room once again. "There. That wasn't so hard."

"Geez Darkstorm, I don't think making me look bad should be this easy."

"It's okay, Skye," Smokescreen grinned. "You should've seen me when I first joined the Elite Guard. I was roaming the halls for nearly an entire stellar cycle before someone found me."

Skye smiled. "That's understandable for a new place. When I was in the hospital, one time I tried to leave on my own and got horribly lost. But I've been here for long enough . . . I should know my own home better."

"Still, don't feel so bad. It happens to everyone," Smokescreen smiled.

The group paused however as they saw that Optimus was addressing the others, most likely about another mission. When they moved in closer, they realized that there assumptions were correct. It seems a deposit of Red Energon had been discovered and it needed to be obtained as soon as possible.

Which made perfect sense, Darkstorm thought. If Red Energon was in the Decepticons' servos. . . it could be used as a dangerous weapon against them.

"Autobots, prepare to roll out."

"Yes!" Smokescreen grinned. "I can't wait. Don't worry, Optimus. I promise, I won't let you down."

Optimus smiled down at the youngling, amused at his eagerness. "Smokescreen, while I appreciate your enthusiasm, you still have much to learn before you go out into the field. You will also require an Earth-based vehicle mode for we are robots in disguise on this planet. . . I am placing you under Skye's care. You will pick out a vehicle mode under her supervision and, in return, you will be able to learn more about Earth's culture, in order to properly blend in here."

Smokescreen seemed disappointed that he wasn't able to go but he promptly saluted. "You can count on me, Optimus."

The others, save for Jolt, Bulkhead, and Ratchet, began to move out through the ground bridge. "Take care of her, Smokescreen," Darkstorm said seriously as she passed him by.

"Don't worry. I will," he smiled.

Darkstorm, despite her better judgment, half smiled in return and followed her team. Smokescreen was about to turn around before an ominous whisper met his audial receptors.

"If I come back and she's harmed, in any way, I'll rip off your doorwings and then leave you at the bottom of the ocean to rust, got it youngling?"

Smokescreen's optics widened fearfully as he looked at Skybreak. "E-Er, yes, s-sir."

"Glad we understand each other," Skybreak grinned. "Have fun, Skye!"

"No need to give 'im a heart attack!" She shouted after the Seeker.

Skybreak laughed. "If I wanted to give him a spark attack, I'd have done it already!" he called out before disappearing into the vortex.

Smokescreen shuddered. "How can you sleep with that mech around?"

"With the knowledge that if he tries anything, Darkstorm will tear him apart." Skye laughed. "But he's okay once ya get to know him. They all are."

"Still. . ." he laughed nervously. "Makes you wanna recharge with one optic open."

Skye shrugged. "Eh, I've never had problems with him." She tilted her head toward the entrance to the base. "So, um, let's go find you an alt mode."

"Sounds like a plan," he smiled before transforming into his Cybertronian alt mode. It was sleek, much like an Earth sports car, but definitely more high tech. He opened one of his doors and Skye gently climbed inside. Once he closed the door behind her, the car zoomed out of the base. "So, any idea where to start?"

"I'm afraid we can't go into town or someone will notice your . . . exotic design, but there's a ledge overlooking the highway we can stake out. We certainly won't be seeing any Lamborghinis, but you might find something you like."

"Sounds good to me," Smokescreen remarked before travelling towards said edge. A short amount of time passed and they were there. Smokescreen let Skye out before transforming and observing the highway and all the old-fashioned, rusted automobiles. "Eh, something good is bound to show up, right?"

"I would hope so. A lot of people come through here on their way to Vegas or California, each has some fairly rich citizens. Someone with a good taste in automobiles is bound to go by." She walked up to the edge. "The hardest part is waiting long enough to find one."

"Guess that means we'll be here for a while," he vented as he lay down on his chassis, not wanting to be seen by passerbys but at the same time, wanting to be comfortable.

"Could be worse. The last mission I went on was to Antarctica, the continent at the south pole, and that was horribly cold."

"Sounds terrible. My doorwings would be aching for joors if I went there."

"Makes me appreciate Nevada, that's for sure." She gestured to a black sedan driving by. "What do you think of that one?"

"Eh, black was never really my color," he replied before pausing. "So, what's your story? How'd you end up with the Autobots?"

The girl laughed. "Entirely by accident. I was in New York, minding my own business, memorizing the Jeep trails, when a blue motorcycle came flying out of this weird green vortex. She actually saved me from falling off a cliff." Skye shrugged. "This was kinda nuts at the time, and I ended up coming back to the base with her. And that was that."

"Sounds like destiny to me," he smiled. "Though I can imagine it must have been quite the shock."

"Truer words have never been spoken. But I can't imagine a life away from here now."

"Yeah. . . You seem pretty close with everyone."

"Well, after all this team's been through together, I think it's kind of natural." Skye paused. "That's probably the best part. It takes a long time to earn everyone's trust, but once you do, you're a part of the family."

"A family. . ." His gaze suddenly became crestfallen. "I haven't been part of a family in a long while."

Skye gently nudged his arm with her elbow. "Well, stick with us for a while, and we'll fix that." She nodded to another car going by. "There's one. It's a Mazda, but it's inconspicuous."

"Looks more like Ratchet's speed, doesn't it?" he smiled good-naturedly.

"Ah, so it's speed you like, eh?" Skye smirked.

"But, of course. Don't all Praxians?" he grinned.

"Bumblebee is the only other one I know, so I wasn't sure if it was just him or not."

"Nah. Praxians need speed like. . . well, like Seekers need flight or Polyhexians need music."

She smiled. "That sounds rather neat, actually."

"Just something you're born with, I guess," he half-smiled and shrugged. "Though my brothers never did race as much as I did."

"Brothers, huh?"

He vented. "Yeah. . . Prowl and Bluestreak. They were some of the biggest war figures ever when it first started. . . Prowl used to be Optimus' second in command and Bluestreak was the best sharpshooter in the army." Smokescreen chuckled. "Well, besides Moonracer, of course. . . Prowl was kinda a stick in the mud and Bluestreak was a bit paranoid, but once you got to know them, they were really good mechs. . . and the best brothers I could have ever asked for."

"Wow, that sounds great." Skye zoned out as she spoke, not focusing on the highway. "My family here is far closer to that than anything I had before."

"Issues back home, huh?"

"You could say that." She smiled. "But who doesn't have problems of some sort, right?"

"That's for sure," he smiled before a passing vehicle caught his optic. It was a Ferrari 458 Italia painted in blue and white with "thirty-eight" racing decals on both door panels. "Now, that's an alt mode!" Before the vehicle could move out of range, Smokescreen quickly activated his scanning sensors. A blue beam was released from his optics as he scanned the vehicle mode. Before the driver could look up, he was finished. He ducked away from the edge of the cliff and transformed. "So, what do you think?"

Skye looked him over. "Ferrari, nice. More recognizable than other cars on the street, but it is Earth-based. And a rather fine model." Skye's eyes lit up. "Ah, I just remembered. The 'Bots have holoforms as well, that they acquired from people they saw in town. It can wait for later, but you will need one eventually."

"Eh, I might as well get one while I'm here. It's not like I have anything better to do," Smokescreen replied. "Besides, we can always test out my new alt mode while we're out."

"Doesn't sound like a bad idea. Besides, just going into town shouldn't merit any worry." Skye approached the driver-side door, even as she had a nagging sense something was off . . . or going to happen . . . She closed her eyes momentarily to force those thoughts back into the darkness of her mind. Nothing can happen in town, she thought. They don't know our base is here . . .

Once Skye was safely inside, Smokescreen took off and approached the freeway. . . on the wrong side of the road.

"Eh, Smokescreen, you need to get over." She looked out the side mirror then the road ahead of them.

"Why? I'm in no one's-" Smokescreen was cut short as a large semi-truck approached them. The Ferrari quickly swerved into the other lane before the truck could collide with them. "What the pit was that for? And why was he on the wrong side of the road?!"

Skye sighed, placing a hand over her heart that was now pounding a mile-a-minute. "Actually, you were the one on the wrong side. And we were pretty lucky we weren't going any faster or we'd be splattered on the highway. Scraped off in tiny pieces . . . highway patties."

"Humans," Smokescreen grumbled. "Their roads are so confusing. . ." He paused before asking Skye with a slightly concerned tone, "But are you alright? I'm sorry if I scared you."

She closed her eyes and smiled. "I'm fine. This is nothing compared to the week I've had."

Smokescreen was silent for a few moments and the vehicle slowed down slightly. "Does it have anything to do with that injured green mech?"

"Kind of." Skye paused, not knowing how much to say exactly. "In a nut shell, four groups had missions at once, and no one had as much backup as we usually do. I think we all feel bad for not being there for him, and that kinda just puts a raincloud over everyone's head."

"Mech. . . That sounds terrible," he vented. "And then I had to go and open my big mouth."

Skye shrugged. "You couldn't have known. Like I said earlier, once things calm down and you settle in, it'll get better."

"We can only hope. . . I guess I can be a real pain the neck, huh?"

"Well now I wouldn't know that." The girl smirked. "So far the bulk of our acquaintance has been spent wandering around the base's dark corridors aimlessly and finding your disguise."

Smokescreen chuckled softly. "Eh, I guess you're right there." The mech saw a small town begin to appear on his radar. "So this is Jasper?"

"This is the roaring metropolis that is Jasper. Not much to it, but I certainly appreciate the slow pace."

"A lot different than what I'm used to. . . but it seems. . ." Smokescreen searched for the right word. "Homey." He pulled into town, accidentally running one or two stop signs in the process as he began to look for a suitable holoform.

"You better be careful to stop at those. It would be . . . awkward if an officer approached you to find you had no driver. Eh," she brought a hand to her forehead. "Not to mother you or anything."

"Nah, it's fine. I guess I have a lot to learn," he said as he also ran a red stoplight. Several horns were honked as the other cars braked suddenly and angry drivers stuck out their heads to yell at the sports car. "Oops. . . Was I supposed to stop at that too?"

Skye nodded, her hands over her face. "Mm-hhmmm."

"Aw, mech. . . I'm sorry."

Skye shook her head and lowered her hands. "No no, you didn't know." She sighed. "Let's just . . . find you a holoform and get back to base."

Smokescreen vented. "Yeah. . . Sure thing." Smokescreen pulled up to what looked to be a populated area and parked in front of the building. Though, he parked sideways and ended up taking four spaces.

Skye brought a hand to her face and shook her head, choosing to say nothing. "I'll be back. I'm just going to go to the bathroom and get a snack."

"Kay, Skye. See you then," Smokescreen said, still somewhat guilty for having scared her nearly half to death with his poor driving. He watched her enter the restaurant before turning to survey the crowd. Hmm. . . where would a good holoform be?

As if answering his question, a young mech and femme exited the building. The mech was young, perhaps in his mid-20s, which was Smokescreen's approximate Earth age. He had windswept brown hair and was dressed in an average blue T-shirt and jeans.

Well, I don't know much about humans, but he seems alright, Smokescreen thought as he discreetly scanned the human.

When Skye went outside after getting herself something to eat and saw a young man waiting by the car. Momentarily forgetting about Smokescreen's search for a holoform, she went over to the man to investigate.

The handsome stranger grinned as he met her gaze and, with dismay, Skye found that her face was becoming warm. "Er. . . can I help you?"

"What? Don't recognize me?"

Skye's eyes widened. "Smokescreen?"

"Yeah, I found a holoform when you were inside. Does. . . Does it look alright?"

Skye could feel her face get warmer. Aw, great. . . This was just what she needed. "Y-Yeah, it looks g-great." Fantastic job, Skye. Full points for smoothness.

Smokescreen's brow furrowed. "Are you okay? You look like you're about to overheat."

"I-I ehhmmm" She brought a hand to her forehead, covering one eye. Focus, Skye. Focus. "Yeah, I'm good. You're uh . . . gonna need a human name too . . . f-for your holoform. Smokescreen isn't in the Top 100 baby names list."

Smokescreen raised an eyebrow. She definitely seem alright to him but, then again, his knowledge of humans was next to zero. "Uh, sure. Think you could help me pick one out?" he asked.

"U-Umm, how does Soren s-sound?" she replied, still avoiding eye contact.

"Soren. . . Sounds cool," he smiled before he looked her over again. "But are you sure you're okay? Should I call the docs or something?"

Skye waved her hand. "I'm sure. Let's just, eehh, get home."

"Okaaay," Smokescreen said, still slightly suspicious. He got into the drivers seat of the vehicle and Skye followed suite. Soon, they were back on the road and heading towards the Autobot base.

An uncomfortable silence reigned in the Ferrari until they finally reached the base. Smokescreen deactivated his holoform and, after Skye had exited his alt mode, transformed.

"Hey, Ratchet. Is everyone still gone?" Smokescreen asked.

"Yes, Smokescreen. They are still in the act of securing-" Ratchet paused as he heard an incoming transmission from Bumblebee.

It seemed Starscream had survived his previous attack from the Autobots due to the Apex Armor and was now battling the Autobots for the Red Energon.

"The Apex Armor . . . all but indestructable . . ." Smokescreen whispered to himself, recalling what he'd been told while still stationed at Iacon. He looked at Skye. "Be back in a flash." He took off towards the relic storage area.

"We could really use some backup, Ratchet." Bumblebee was drowned out somewhat by the sound of the battle.

"You gotta send me in, Doc!" Bulkhead approached the medic, his servos in fists. He didn't respond, instead fiddling with the controls on the console to try and raise Bumblebee again. "Did you hear me?"

"I heard, and I'm ignoring you! You will be of little to no help if you run in there now. Smokescr-" Ratchet turned as he spoke, pausing when he realized the rookie wasn't in the area. He looked at Skye. "Where is he?"

"Right here, Doc." Everyone looked up as he entered. "And I've got a plan for dealing with Starscream." He tapped the small device now mounted on his right wrist.

"Is that the . . . ?" Ratchet stared at it for a few seconds before his expression turned to one of frustration. "Smokescreen, standard protocol says one must wait for permission before removing objects from storage, especially such powerful relics as those!"

"You can lecture me later, Doc. But right now, I need to get in there."

The medic rolled his optics before activating the ground bridge, acknowledging this as a pointless battle.

"Watch yourself, Smokescreen." Skye shouted after the rookie before he could enter the bridge. "Starscream is significantly less . . . pathetic with that armor."

"I'll be back before you know it." With that, he transformed and sped through the bridge.

The Autobots turned as they saw a ground bridge open. Much to their surprise, it was Smokescreen. The rookie transformed as Starscream turned around with a smirk.

"Ah, yet another Autobot that wishes to face me. When I am done with you-" Starscream stopped short as he saw that Smokescreen was running towards him. "Wait, what are you-?"

His fellow Autobots believed he would be tossed aside like they had been but he passed through the Apex Armor as if he was a ghost, dragging Starscream with him. Starscream gazed around fearfully, suddenly realizing that he was no longer protected. "H-How-?"

The Apex Armor collapsed and Smokescreen whooped triumphantly. "Ha! Now that's a plan! Take that Decepticreep!"

"I swear to Primus. . ." Skybreak grumbled.

Smokescreen's relation was short-lived however, as Starscream snarled and let loose a few missiles towards the shipping platform where the Red Energon was being kept. An explosion rocked the platform as the Autobots stationed there flew and the Red Energon splintered. Before they could react, Starscream fled the scene and they began to gather themselves.

Drift glared at Smokescreen as he rubbed his sore arm, having landed on it after the platform exploded. "Wheel-grinder," he muttered under his breath.

* * *

"Smokescreen, you left the base without my consent and you could have endangered more members of my team," Optimus began.

Smokescreen hung his helm. "I'm sorry, Optimus. I just-"

Optimus silenced him with a wave of his servo. "But-" Smokescreen looked up hopefully. "In doing so, you also helped us regain the Apex Armor and for that, we thank you. . . and welcome you to join Team Prime. Of course, you still have much to learn but. . . I have seen your potential."

Smokescreen grinned wildly. "Of course, Optimus. Thank you."

Miko smiled and looked up at her guardian. She frowned slightly as she saw his crestfallen expression. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but he had already turned to leave. He limped down the hallway until he reached his own quarters and disappeared therein.

**A/N: *laughs hysterically* One question you readers must be wondering: Is Smokescreen going to survive this fic? And the answer to that is a definite maybe. Hahaha. My inner sadist was giggling the entire time I was writing this chappie and I hope y'all got a laugh in too. I know I needed it.**

**And. . . can y'all pray for my friend Desiree? She's having a really tough time with spiritual warfare and it's so bad that the devil is causing her to doubt that God even exists. . . If y'all would be able to, her and I would seriously appreciate it. **

**Well, thank you to all our reviewers, favoriters, and followers for your support and may God bless all of you!**

**To Savvy Orion: Well, it was a short chappie and I figured what the hay? Plus, it gave me more time to work on our Halloween one-shot. The drama with the relics has definitely already begun and we do hope you loved this chappie as much as we loved writing it. As for how to create an account, you simply go to login and then create account and it should walk you through it. And when you're ready to publish a story, you go to publish then check the rules and guidelines and then you go to doc manager. You can either upload a life or copy and paste stuffs. And may God bless you too, Savvy Orion!**

**"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will," Ephesians 1: 4-5**

**A/N: And we have a happy Moyashi now that Smokescreen's arrived on the scene :D this chap was too fun to write, despite my internal battling. The sadistic side was laughing with Dream, the fangirl side was screaming "Nuuuuuuu!" Heh, guess which side won :3**

**Theme song: It's On by Superchick**


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